Mindy Bimms
by starlett2007
Summary: Story takes place through out "You Kill Me" My take on how Wendy feels about the Mindy Bimms character and a little insight to Hodges' attitude problems. Story is now Complete.
1. Chapter 1

Mindy Bimms

Mindy Bimms

A/N: I do not own the CSI characters, I am just borrowing them.

This story takes place after various scenes of "You Kill Me" Wendy is extremely angry with Hodges regarding the "Mindy Bimms" prototype for the "Lab Rats" game.

Chapter One

David Hodges sighed as he watched Wendy storm angrily out of the locker. He stared at the prototype of _Mindy Bimms_ The clumsy yet buxom DNA Tech.

"Why did I have to create this" he thought aloud.

He was cleaning up his game when Mandy entered the locker area. "What were you thinking" she demanded.

He tried to act nonchalant. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Oh stop being such an ass! Wendy told me about your DNA piece." She replied.

Hodges said nothing.

Mandy knelt down to Hodges level and helped him clean up. "Do you have feelings for her" she asked quietly.

David said nothing and continued to clean the pieces off the floor. Mandy stood up, she had a smirk on her face. She said nothing more and left the room. Wendy, meanwhile was waiting for her in the DNA Lab.

"Well what did he say?"

"He didn't have to SAY anything."

Wendy stared at her. "You mean he didn't deny anything? No snarky reply, no nothing?"

Mandy shook her head. "He seemed upset with himself for screwing up, I'm not sure how to explain it" she said.

Meanwhile Hodges was sitting in the break room wallowing in self-pitty playing with his game pieces and drowning the _Mindy Bimms_ piece which was when Grissom caught him.

Grissom and Hodges spent about two hours playing the game until Gil decided to call it a night. "Well David, I enjoyed this game. It has promise, but take this as advice… change the Mindy Bimms character from Clumsy yet Buxom to something else. I don't think Wendy would be pleased. With that Grissom left and as he passed the DNA lab, he saw Wendy sitting there staring forlornly at something.

"Good night Wendy" he said.

"Good night Grissom" she replied. "See you tomorrow"

A sneaky smile played at Grissom's lips. "Oh by the way, Hodges says he wants to talk to you, he's in the break room."

Wendy raised her eyebrows and Grissom left leaving Wendy in shock. Wendy left her lab and headed to the break room.

"Grissom said you wanted to talk to me?" she said.

Hodges was caught a little off guard. He hadn't told Grissom anything of the sort but Hodges knew he had to make it up with the pretty DNA Tech.

"Wendy I am sorry about everything regarding my game – especially the _Mindy Bimms_ thing. I…uh " he faltered.

"You what?" she demanded. "Spit it out David."

_She used my first name… Wendy never does that._

"Uh…" he faltered again.

A/N: I had to end the chapter there. I didn't want this story to be only one never-ending chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

Mindy Bimms

Mindy Bimms

A/N: I do not own the CSI characters, I am just borrowing them.

This story takes place after various scenes of "You Kill Me" Wendy is extremely angry with Hodges regarding the "Mindy Bimms" prototype for the "Lab Rats" game.

Chapter Two

"I am not good at this" he finally said. "I didn't mean to offend you, I uh think you're pretty attractive and ….."

"Perfectly adequate?" she finished after a moment she began to giggle which made David smile too.

"Listen Wendy…" he began and looked around as he didn't want anyone to hear him.

"I am very insecure, I use my attitude as a defense mechanism as I always had to compete with my siblings. I was the middle child. I have an older and younger siblings and both went on to achieve their masters in their field and it took me two extra years to get my Bachelors. Terry and Steve whizzed through school at an accelerated pace and achieved their masters in record time. Both are now married to beautiful women and I get tongue tied around my female colleagues and constantly put my foot in my mouth around you."

As David said all this Wendy listened very carefully. She heard the pain in his voice when he discussed his brothers.

"My mom and dad constantly praised Terry and Steve when we were growing up and I was hardly ever praised."

Wendy looked at him with new respect and understanding. "David you have nothing to be ashamed of. You have a great job here at the lab and have got well deserved respect from Grissom as it pertained to that Miniature case. You are a great guy!"

David looked at her smiling. "Can you forgive me for that Mindy Bimms thing?"

"Only if you let me come up with a new slogan for her?" she replied.

"Deal" he nodded and he held out his hand to shake on it but instead of shaking his hand she gave him a kiss.

"Wendy!" he was caught a little off guard.

"Oh God! Sorry Hodges!" She said and made a beeline for the door leaving Hodges standing there stunned.

Wendy drove home to her apartment in tears. "Why did I have to kiss him! My goodness we weren't ready for that!" she muttered.

When she arrived at home, the all to familiar bandana was on her apartment door. That meant that her roommate Regina was entertaining her boyfriend and Wendy was to stay away.

"I have to find a new roommate!" she thought.

A/N: To be continued….


	3. Chapter 3

Mindy Bimms

Mindy Bimms

A/N: I do not own the CSI characters, I am just borrowing them.

This story takes place after various scenes of "You Kill Me" Wendy is extremely angry with Hodges regarding the "Mindy Bimms" prototype for the "Lab Rats" game.

Chapter Three

Wendy drove around for an hour then decided to hell with it. If Regina was in the middle of something with her boyfriend and Wendy interrupted who cares. Wendy lived there too, paid rent and had every right to sleep in her own bed!

She arrived home and that bandana was still on the door. Wendy unlocked the door to find Regina and her boyfriend in a heated conversation with non other than David Hodges!

"David? What are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to you Wendy."

"Hey Wendy, you and David need to go elsewhere, Richie and I are not finished." Regina said.

Wendy put her hands on her hips. "No Regina, I live here too, I pay rent. If you and Richie need alone time, get a hotel room"

Regina and Richie got dressed and without a word slammed out of the apartment.

"What are you doing here David" Wendy asked.

"I came to talk to you, but I guess I interrupted something between your roommate and that guy" he said and raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"When I approached the door , but before I knocked I heard noises'

"Noises?"

"Think Lady Heather"

"She's into that? Eww!"

"Wendy I heard neighbours yelling for her to shut up and before I could knock she opened the door, I guess to reply…" he couldn't finish.

Wendy didn't reply but she gasped.

"I told her who I was and entered the apartment and her boyfriend came out of the bedroom wearing a 'Lady Heather outfit' Then shortly after you arrived." He said.

They were quiet. "I am sorry for my advance on you like that. It's not like me to do that" she began.

"What do you want to do about this " he said indicating the obvious attraction.

"I want to take it slow, but first off all I need to kick my roommate out!" she said as she heard Regina's key.

"But you're gonna need another roommate" David said.

"Yes David I will" she said with a smile.

"Well I am thinking about moving out of my mom's apartment" David said.

Wendy grinned from ear to ear.

"We'll go talk to the land lord tomorrow. I've got documented proof of her lude actions and complaints from neighbours" she said.

"You know she has 30 days to move right" David said and put a hand on Wendy's shoulder.

"Yeah but she could cause a lot of retaliatory damage in 30 days" Wendy replied.

"Regina, who had entered the apartment with Richie and went straight to her room for a few moments earlier, exited the bedroom and handed Wendy an eviction notice!!

A/N: To be continued…..


	4. Chapter 4

Mindy Bimms

Mindy Bimms

A/N: I do not own the CSI characters, I am just borrowing them.

This story takes place after various scenes of "You Kill Me" Wendy is extremely angry with Hodges regarding the "Mindy Bimms" prototype for the "Lab Rats" game.

Chapter Four

"You are evicting me! What did I do to you?" Wendy was incredulous.

Regina shrugged. "You didn't abide by my rules so out you go"

"Are you referring to the rule about the bandana?"

Regina nodded.

Before Wendy could reply, David took her by the hand and he headed to the bedroom to chat.

"David what's going on?"

"This is perfect! You can now not worry about the repercussions of you evicting her. There is an apartment for rent on another floor of this building…" he began.

The wheels in her heard began to turn and they left the room.

"Regina, while I think your scheme is wrong – the eviction is wrong you are right, we are not a right fit as roommates." She began.

"You're not gonna fight to stay?"

"NO, but I have an idea. You want Richie to move in here right?"

Regina nodded.

"We need to talk to the landlord, but you withdraw the eviction notice officially and I will move out voluntarily so Richie can move in" Wendy said.

"Where will you go?" Regina asked.

"There's another apartment downstairs that David and I can rent" she replied.

The following day before David and Wendy went to work, they. Regina and Richie went to the landlord to discuss the new living arrangements and organize the new leases. As promised, Regina withdrew the eviction notice and everyone was ready to move in with a two week time period.

At the lab:

Everyone noticed how much Hodges had changed, yet no one knew that he and Wendy were living together.

Grissom was walking passed the DNA Lab one evening when he spied something interesting. Wendy was leaning over the microscope and standing beside her, looking as if he was in conversation with her was David Hodges. Hodges looked around to see if anyone was watching and since no one was (Grissom was out of his view) so he reached over and gave Wendy's butt a pinch.

Grissom smiled as he saw this and silently yearned for Sara.

"That's why he has been in such a good mood lately! He and Wendy are a couple!" he muttered to himself.

Grissom continued down the hallway where he bumped into Catherine.

"Hi Gil, have you seen Hodges? He's not in his lab."

""He's talking to Wendy"

Catherine raised his eyebrows and went off to see him. That night at home, Wendy and Hodges were chatting.

"David, I've decided to let _Mindy Bimms_ keep her slogan."

David gasped. "Really?"

She nodded. "Yeah I've realized that you truly meant no malice when you created her and that it was a term of endearment and you like my perfectly adequate breasts" she smiled and removed her shirt.

David Hodges was rendered speechless and Wendy leaned over to David and kissed him and this time he didn't resist and let her lead.

Although they had been living together for about three weeks, they had agreed to take it slow with their relationship so they hadn't slept together yet. Until that night…

David got to see Wendy's perfectly adequate breasts and they made the earth shake that night.

Directly below them Regina and Richie were awoken by the movement.

"Richie we've got competition" Regina said.

Richie groaned. "Yes we do!" he replied.

David and Wendy went to work with huge smiles on their faces which didn't go unnoticed.

"Hodges got lucky" Nick said

"So did Wendy" replied Mandy.

A/N: This is all for now – more to come!


	5. Chapter 5

Mindy Bimms

Mindy Bimms

A/N: I do not own the CSI characters, I am just borrowing them.

This story takes place after various scenes of "You Kill Me" Wendy is extremely angry with Hodges regarding the "Mindy Bimms" prototype for the "Lab Rats" game.

Chapter Five

"David are you coming or not?" Wendy asked David as she put her jacket and headed to the door.

"I'll be right there" David said as he came running out of the bathroom. He was having a so-so day. First thing in the morning his hair dryer shorted out and the second thing he had forgot to do a wash and he was on his last pair of underwear and thirdly he forgot to go to the bank and was almost completely of cash. The list never stopped.

"I'm ready" he said and took the key out of his pocket and followed Wendy out the door. The telephone stopped them dead in their tracks.

"Wendy I have to get this" he said and told her to go ahead without him and that he'd call a cab and get to work as soon as possible.

"What do you want me to tell Grissom?"

David shrugged. "I don't care Wendy, make something up" he said and shut the door on a very stunned Wendy.

He was out of breath when he got to the phone. "Hello" he said in a sullen voice.

"Well finally you answer what the hell is going on David"

"Hello to you too mom. What do you want" he said.

"Your brother Steve has graduated with his Doctorate and you are requested to come to San Diego for the ceremony."

David sucked in his breath. _What a freaking suck up! Another event for dear old Steve._

"When is it?"

"Two weeks Saturday" was the reply.

He closed his eyes. "Can I bring a friend?"

David's mother tsked. "These tickets cost money son, I don't think its appropriate for me to ask for a 2nd ticket for your _friend_." She replied.

"But mother, not to sound childish or defensive, everyone else is bringing a date, why can't you just get the extra ticket and I'll pay you for it!" he said.

David's mother sucked in her breath this time and tsked again. "Well your date's name needs to be on the visitor's list. What's his name?

David was stuck dumb. _His name?_ _What the hell is she talking about?_

David finally got his voice back. "Mother what are you insinuating?"

"Okay fine, don't tell me his name, then you won't be allowed to bring him. I don't understand you David, why can't you just tell me your boyfriend's name!"

David scowled at the telephone. "Mother I am not gay, I am bringing my girlfriend Wendy Simms. She and I have been dating and living together for three weeks now. I will book our tickets for the flight to San Diego and call you when I get to the airport. " David said and then slammed the telephone down in anger.

That day at work, David Hodges was his usual antagonistic self. He did however send a mass text message all of his colleagues apologizing ahead of time for any rude or antagonistic behaviour. He explained that he was having a very serious family issue and that he was upset by it and if he was snippy or rude to not take it personally. One by one his colleagues texted him back saying that it would be "ok"

Back in San Diego David Hodges' mother was seething and now yelling obscenities at the wall (as no one was home) in regards to the misunderstanding about David having a boyfriend. When her husband came home he got it from her.

"Why did you tell me David was gay?" She demanded.

Dan Hodges looked at his wife. "Maureen, I never told you our son was gay….not in that way…"

Maureen Hodges rolled her eyes at her husband. "What the hell did you mean then?"

Dan Hodges had to think on his feet, then thought of something. "Uh Gay meaning 'happy' I said that due to his new relationship, our son was acting very gay… happy"

Maureen looked at her husband and contemplated what he had to say and turned on her heels and stomped out of the room.

Dan Hodges looked at the photo of his son David and said. "Son I certainly hope I am correct about you being _happy _and that when you arrive at the ceremony you do not have a man on your arms. I've heard so many rumours over the years that I certainly hope that what your mother suspects is not the truth."

A/N: I am not against gays or anything of the sort. I just thought it would be interesting to add this kind of scenario… a possible reason for why David was shunned and put down over the years……

More to come soon. It seems as if my muse has woken up after a few months of being _asleep_.


	6. Chapter 6

Mindy Bimms

Mindy Bimms

A/N: I do not own the CSI characters, I am just borrowing them.

Chapter Six

Two weeks later. David and Wendy got off the plane at the airport in San Diego. He had called his parents from McCarran in Las Vegas and told them when to expect them at the airport and to please come pick them up. David's father said he'd be there at baggage claim to pick up he and his date.

Dan Hodges still didn't know what to expect. Maureen was convinced her son was lying to them about his date but Dan wasn't sure. David had been writing letters home recently and mentioned a girl at work named Wendy and a few situations where he messed up when he was trying to get the courage to ask her out.

Dan scanned the crowed of people who were crowded around the baggage carousel. Wendy looked over to see if she could recognize David's father.

"David, I think I see him." She said and tapped him on the shoulder. David turned and sure enough was the senior Hodges looking around. Dan saw David and came walking over to his middle son.

"Hi David" he said and held out his hand for his son to shake.

_Too formal. _Thought David but shook it anyway. "Dad, this is Wendy, my girlfriend" he said beaming.

Dan looked at the lovely young lady his middle son had brought to the ceremony. He looked her up and down and whistled inwardly. Wendy began to feel uncomfortable and David wished his father would stop mentally checking out his woman.

"Dad stop it!" he whispered. "We've got our bags, lets just go to the house."

When they got to the house, it was obvious that Maureen still believed that David's date was a man because of what happened next.

David's mother was busy in the kitchen so she thought it best just to shout out the sleeping arrangements. "David, your date is going to be bunking in with Steve, I certainly hope that will be ok"

David's face turned bright red as he avoided Wendy's shocked gaze.

"Excuse me Wendy" he said and went to see his mother in the kitchen, while Dan brought in the bags from the trunk. Wendy held back in the foyer not knowing what to do.

"Mom! Why the hell are you doing this to me?" he demanded. "Why did you say that Wendy is bunking in with Steve! What the hell are you doing!"

"Wendy? That's an odd name for a man, is she a transsexual??"

Wendy entered the kitchen. "No Mrs. Hodges, I am not a transsexual, I am all woman." She said in a cool, calm and collected voice.

Maureen Hodges, stared at her son and his girlfriend and dropped the dish she was drying on the floor, and it shattered in to a thousand pieces. Then she left the kitchen after bursting into tears.

"That's my mom" Hodges said sheepishly.

David, Wendy and Dan cleaned up the broken glass and then the bedroom arrangements were reorganized. Steve and Terry would be bunking in together and David and Wendy would be too. Dan gave his son a stern warning about hanky-panky under the senior Hodges' roof. Both Wendy and David agreed and took their bags upstairs.

Although the wives were going to the ceremony, they were leaving early as they had to attend to the children so they wouldn't be staying at the Hodges Homestead. The guest of honour and Terry, who would be attending the celebration and probably drinking for most of the evening would be bunking at the Hodges Homestead for obvious reasons.


	7. Chapter 7

Mindy Bimms

Mindy Bimms

A/N: I do not own the CSI characters, I am just borrowing them.

I just own Dan and Maureen Hodges and his brothers Terry and Steve and any sister-in laws I mention too.

This chapter takes place in San Diego where David is from. (or is it San Francisco? ) Apparently his brother Steve is getting his Doctorate and they're having a celebration.

David's entire family thought he was gay. (of course he's not he's just "happy") (Gay is another word for happy.. back in the day it was)

Chapter Seven

The room that David and Wendy would be sharing had twin beds with a night stand in the center with a lamp. It also had a telephone in the centre. Also it had two small dressers and a shared mirror on the back of the door. They were only staying the weekend so they didn't think it necessary to unpack. But after thinking about it, they figured unpack what little they had so their clothes wouldn't get winkled.

"I – uh am so sorry for mom's mess up" he said finally.

"_Mess up?? _ Why and how did she think I was a guy?" Wendy demanded.

David through his hands up in the air. "I have no idea. I told her that you were a woman that I had been dating and that we were living together etc."

Wendy shook her head. "Who else thinks you're gay and that I'm a guy or transsexual?" she asked.

David didn't reply. Most likely his brothers thought so too.

"David don't tell me your brothers think so too" she said.

"Ok I won't tell you" he said.

"Not funny David not funny" she said angrily.

Fifteen minutes later Dan called up to them. "Dinner you guys"

David and Wendy went downstairs holding hands. At the dining room table were David's brother Steve and his wife Mary and his brother Terry and his wife Nancy. They both have two children but two of them were infants and were sleeping in their travel cribs and the other two were watching tv.

"Hi Dave, who's your _friend_" asked Mary.

'Everyone, this is Wendy, she's my girlfriend. We work together at the lab and have been living together for the past month."

David's brothers and sisters-in-law stared at him in shock. There were not so subtle whispers among each of them.

"That is just about enough!" David seethed. "I have had enough of your whispers, rude crude and sarcastic remarks. All you have ever done to me is make me feel worthless. Davey the nothing – takes _forever_ to get his bachelors while Terry and Steve end up sailing through their Masters and achieve them the same year I achieve my Bachelors. And what does mom and dad chose to do?? Attend Terry and Steve's Bachelors Degree graduation and completely _ignore_ me! I have freaking G.D. had it." David said and left the room. Wendy put her fork down and excused herself and joined him in the front foyer.

'David that took guts!" she said in a stage whisper.

"I know. But mind you, I'm gonna hear it for swearing while the kids are in earshot" David seethed.

Wendy rolled her eyes and nodded as she saw out of the corner of her eye, Dan get up and walk out to the front foyer.

"Wendy will you excuse us, I'd like to talk to David alone" he said.

Wendy nodded and returned to the dining room where the others were busily serving themselves their food and chatting about the upcoming celebration. No one said a word to Wendy when she returned.

"Pass the buns please" she asked Mary.

Mary ignored her and handed a bun to her husband.

"Mary could you please pass the buns" she repeated.

Mary still ignored her and handed the bun basket to Steve and Nancy.

Wendy shrugged and decided that making a scene wasn't worth a bun.

Wendy went to reach for the vegetables to serve herself when Mary snatched the serving spoon from her hand.

"That does it. What the G.D. is your problem" she said and slammed down her fork.

Mary looked at her. "What are you talking about?"

"You know damn well what I am talking about. I asked you politely twice for the buns and you blatantly ignored me and now I reach for the veggies to serve myself and you snatch the spoon from my hands, if that is not rude than I don't know what is!"

Mary stood up and glared at Wendy. "You are not welcome at this celebration Wendy. None of us wanted you there. David practically demanded a ticket for you, even though you don't deserve one. My mom had to give up _her_ ticket for you! So no you may not have the buns or the veggies. In fact I speak on behalf of this entire family. GET LOST! Go back to Las Vegas!"

Wendy stood up and left the table. She went upstairs to the bedroom that she and Hodges were going to share for the weekend and first called an airline to book a ticket back home to Vegas. Then called a cab. She had three hours before her flight back to Vegas. She had no time to waste. She walked down the stairs her bag in hand.

"Where are you going?" David asked noticing her bag.

"I am clearly not wanted here David. I am going back home. My flight is in three hours. My cab is here. I will see you when you get home. Enjoy Steve's celebration." Wendy said and with that she was gone.


	8. Chapter 8

Mindy Bimms

Mindy Bimms

Chapter Eight

A/N: I do not own the CSI characters, I am just borrowing them.

I just own Dan and Maureen Hodges and his brothers Terry and Steve and their wives Mary and Nancy.

This chapter is the aftermath of Mary's tantrum and attitude towards Wendy…..

David watched forlornly as his girlfriend, left to go to the airport in a taxi. He had no idea exactly what made her leave like that. He knew that _something_ happened at dinner when he was away from the table talking to his father.

When David went back into the dining room, the rest of the family was eating merrily and chatting about the up-coming celebration.

"It is sooo exciting, I'm finally graduating with my Doctorate. You know I've planned this for years" Steve was saying as he helped himself to more veggies.

"Excuse me everyone, but what happened, why did Wendy leave so suddenly?" he demanded.

"This celebration is very important, we need to make sure that the children behave themselves" Mary said to Nancy.

"Excuse me Mary, but I asked a question and you completely ignored me"

"I say we hire a babysitter to take care of the kids, we don't want any acting up at the ceremony. I don't want my husband embarrassed at the most important day of his life. Dr. Steven Hodges." Mary continued and passed the potatoes to her husband.

David stood there in anger. His sister-in-law had absolutely no politeness in her what so ever. Unfortunately this was not the first time she had blatantly ignored David. Through all this Steve said nothing, his head was bowed and he was not making eye contact with his wife.

"Mary, do you mind? I think it is my turn to speak" David said and stood directly in front of his sister in law.

"David I was not addressing you so would you please shut up and sit your ass down" She snarled rudely at him.

David saw something he had never seen before, Steve get all flushed with intense anger and then he heard something he had never heard before…. "Mary you are out of line. I would like for you to apologize to David for interrupting him and being so unbelievably rude."

"Steve now is not the time to disagree with me. Your brother had no right to lie to us and bring that _fake _girlfriend. We have an image to uphold in my-uh our family and we do not allow homosexuals to attend family functions" Mary said and directed a look at her husband.

Steve threw down his napkin and fork and stood up. "Mary I have had enough of your lip. My brother David is not gay! That was his girlfriend, he has written many letters and told me about her. He has had a crush on her for a little while now and this is the first chance he had to introduce her to us and what did you do Mary, you act like the rude little bitch you are and basically run her out of this house and this state. By now because of you she's gone back to Las Vegas. Oh and Mary, your mother does not have any right to that extra ticket my brother's girlfriend has more of a right than her!" Steve told his wife angrily.

The rest of the Hodges family stared at Steve in shock. Steve has never stood up to his wife in the six years they've been married. Mary always walked all over him and Steve tended to do what she said and was basically _henpecked_. When Mary talked so rudely to Wendy, Steve knew that his inner volcano would erupt at any moment.

Steve then did the unthinkable. He left the table for a moment and then returned with an envelope.

"What is this" demanded Mary.

"Divorce papers." He replied to which the entire family gasped. "You will be hearing from my lawyer. As of now I want you out of this house. You are not welcome anywhere near my family or the celebration. As far as child support goes. Before I pay anything, I want DNA tests done on the children… I have long suspected you're cheating and before I even give you one cent I want a paternity test."

Anger flowing but wordless Mary got up from the table and gathered the children and took off back to their house.

The Hodges family ate their remaining meal in silence. Nancy helped Maureen clean up then shortly after Nancy and Terry and their children left to head home.

After Nancy and Terry left David sat in the bedroom he was going to be occupying for the weekend and looking at his cell phone debating whether or not to call Wendy. He was about to dial when he heard a knock.

"Come in"

Steve entered the room and sat on the bed across from David.

"That took guts Steve" David said.

"I had been thinking about that for a while now Dave, Things aren't all as they seem."

"But you seem so put together." David said.

"It's all an act." Steve said shaking his head.

"What do you mean an act?" he asked.

"David I was happy with my Masters Degree and the awesome job I had. It was Mary who pressured me into getting that Doctorate. Yeah I am now _Dr. Steven Hodges_, but at what price? I lost my job because school was taking too much of my time, studying for your doctorate is not an easy task. Mary was basically supporting us all and then she got angry when I wasn't able to take her out for our anniversary because I had an exam the following day."

"I take it you were able to find a new job?"

"Yes. As soon as I lost the other one, I began sending out resumes and whatnot and I was able to get a good job at a competing company."

"What about this allegation about the kids and DNA tests?"

Steve shook his head. "I have a suspicion that Alicia, the baby is not mine. I'm certain that Amy is mine though."

They were quiet for a while. "I envy you Dave, I think your girl is very kind and sweet, I wish to hell that Mary was like that. But even before we got married, she was a bitch."

"Then why didja marry her" David said. "I mean you were a bachelor, no ties to anyone, you could travel do whatever you want…"

"I did the noble thing Dave…Amy was conceived six months before we got married"

David said nothing. He just sighed.

"Do you want to call Wendy to come back and attend the celebration?" asked Steve.

"She's already back in Vegas Steve, it'll take her a few hours to get back here…" he said.

Steve smiled. "I have an idea, we can fly her back here in the corporate jet"

David looked at him funny. "What are you talking about Steve, what corporate jet?"

Steve pulled out his business card to which David gasped. "_Carlotta Enterprises" _ is one of the biggest _Entomology_ firms in the San Francisco area.

"You got your doctorate in Entomology??" David said and grinned.

"Yeah, why do you know another entomologist?" Steve asked putting away his card.

"Yeah, Gil Grissom the Graveyard Supervisor of the crime lab is one of the top entomologists in Las Vegas."

Steve's jaw dropped to the floor. "You work with Dr. Gil Grissom??"

"Yeah, what's the big deal?"

"David you have to invite him to my celebration, the man's my idol!"

While Steve called his boss at work, David called both Wendy and Gil Grissom to let them know that they were invited to the celebration. Wendy was a little wary about it, at first, but after David told her that Mary would not be there, she agreed. Gil was a little wary at first too about being invited to a ceremony of a man he had never met, but David told him that Steve said that he was his idol, Grissom humbly agreed to attend. Steve told David that the jet would be at McCarran by nine thirty and that there would be someone waiting for them at the Customer Service Desk at nine.

A/N: A little longer than the others, but I had a lot to cover. More coming soon….


	9. Chapter 9

Mindy Bimms

Mindy Bimms

Chapter Nine

A/N: I do not own the CSI characters, I am just borrowing them.

I just own Dan and Maureen Hodges and his brothers Terry and Steve and their wives Mary and Nancy.

Wendy and Grissom sat on Steve Hodges' company jet in anticipation. When David called him and told him that Steve Hodges, his brother was getting his Doctorate in Entomology and wanted to meet him, Gil, at first was a little unsure, but then he realized that he never had someone call him an _idol_ before. Gil never liked the whole idea of being idolized and he rarely even refers to himself as _Dr. Grissom_.

"What's the rest of Hodges' family like Wendy?" Grissom asked her.

Wendy shrugged. "To be honest, I never really got to know them…" she began and suddenly a few tears trickled down her cheek.

"Wendy are you ok?"

"No. I am not sure if I even want to attend this ceremony." She confessed.

Gil shifted in his seat and looked at her. "Why. Wendy what happened earlier!"

"Steve's wife was horribly rude to me and basically drove me out of the house and no one said anything to stop her. The entire family thinks David is gay and there was a kafuffle about that." Wendy shook her head. "I don't know what I would do if Mary showed up at the celebration!"

"Steve uninvited her?" Gil asked.

"Yeah, you're getting her ticket." She said with a smile.

Grissom said nothing. "If Steve uninvited his wife…then something must have happened _after_ you left"

Wendy looked at Gil. "David told me there was a blow up – Steve gave Mary divorce papers and demanded a paternity test on the youngest child."

"If Mary shows up and there's no ticket waiting for her – it's going to cause a huge ruckus" Gil said a smile playing on his lips.

Wendy nodded. "That woman is a first class bi-otch" she said with exaggeration.

They said nothing more as they were getting ready to land. David and Steve were waiting for them at Customer Service at the San Francisco airport.

"Thank you so much for coming Dr. Grissom, having you at my celebration means so much to me" Said Steve.

"Well thank you Steve, and please call me Gil or just Grissom, _Dr. Grissom_ makes me feel old"

"Ok, Gil" Steve said with a smile as he shook Grissom's hand.

Wendy and David exchanged hellos with a hug and a kiss. "I am so sorry Wendy" he whispered in her ear.

"We'll talk when we get back to the house David" she replied and gave his hand a squeeze indicating she didn't want to discuss _anything_ in the earshot of Steve or Grissom.

When they got back to the house. David introduced Grissom to his family.

Since they had an extra guest, there had to be a few room rearrangements. Grissom was put in the den with the pull out couch. Usually they didn't use that room as a bedroom, so Maureen in preparation for Grissom's visit had the sheets in the wash.

"I hadn't had the chance to wash the linens Grissom, so as soon as they are dry I'll make up your bed." Maureen said.

"Thank you very much Mrs. Hodges." Grissom said with a smile.

"Please call me Maureen and call my husband Dan." Maureen said and heard the dryer buzzing so she went to tend to the sheets.

Steve and Grissom headed to the living room where they got in to a huge discussion about bugs and what not. Grissom had brought a few books and papers he had previously written or in the case of the books, contributed to.

Meanwhile in their room David and Wendy chatted. "I am glad you're here" he told her.

"I'm glad I came back too David. What happened after I left exactly?"

"Steve finally stood up to his wife and as I told you before he gave her the divorce papers. He banned her from the celebration tomorrow, but she's going to try to get in – we expect that"

"What are you going to do if she tries to crash the celebration?"

"Oh she won't get far. First of all she is still expecting a ticket to be waiting for both her and her mother at the front reception. Remember she expects me to give her mother back that ticket which you're getting. So she and her mom will show up and there will be no ticket waiting for her. We're all going to get there early and sit down so we'll beat her in plenty of time." He said.

"That will be very embarrassing for her" Wendy said and shook her head mischievously .

"Oh Steve and I had a nice chat about the situation. Things were not rosy at home." He said and stopped because there was a knock on the door.

"Come in"

It was Grissom. "David, do you think it would be ok to borrow your mother's vehicle?"

David and Wendy exchanged looks. "Are you planning something with Sara?" David gave his boss a smile.

Grissom looked a little embarrassed, like a teenage boy asking for the keys to his parents car for a date.

"Actually yes." He said.

"How about this, I don't know if my parents would let a complete stranger borrow the car, but they would let their _son_ borrow the car. Sooo, how about we double date?"

Grissom nodded. "Ok, that's fine, we're not going to be out late anyway and we're not really going to drink much – just chat and socialize."

David knew though that Gil would rather be alone with Sara, he obviously wanted to chat with her about things.

"Gil, we don't have to stick together like glue, if you and Sara want to sit at a separate table that's fine. We will just agree to meet at a certain time and then come back here"

David asked his parents for use of the car and of course they said yes. David, Wendy and Gil went to pick up Sara. The four of them went to a local restaurant for a bite and conversation. And true to what Gil wanted, the two couples chose to sit separately and agreed on midnight to meet outside and go back to the Hodges' residence.

Wendy and David had settled their bill and stood outside waiting for Gil and Sara when the unthinkable happened. A vehicle came out of nowhere and before either David or Wendy could get out of the way, the vehicle mounted the sidewalk and hit them, knocking them both to the ground and unconscious.

Sara, who had exited the restaurant while Gil was saying good night to the waitress, screamed, causing not only Grissom, but a few others to come running.

"What happened Sara?" Gil asked.

"A car mounted the sidewalk and hit David and Wendy!"

Grissom saw something flittering around Hodges head. It was a note of some kind.

He took a tissue out of his pocket and picked up the paper.

"GET OUT OF LAS VEGAS DAVID HODGES AND YOU TOO WENDY, YOU ARE NOT WANTED IN THIS CITY. YOU WERE WARNED AND NOW YOU HAVE A PRICE TO PAY."

"Get ambulances STAT" Gil instructed and then flipped his cell phone open and called the Hodges residence. The phone woke up the household, but when Grissom told them that both David and Wendy were injured and where they were being taken, they told him they'd be there as soon as they could.

To the waiter that followed them outside Grissom said. "Do you have a baggie? I need to preserve this note"

The waiter dashed back inside and retrieved a baggie for Gil. "Sara you head to the hospital with them. I'm going to call our guys. I know it's not our jurisdiction, but it's Wendy and Hodges, it's our case – I'll talk to the San Francisco PD."

Sara climbed into the ambulance with Wendy and held the unconscious woman's hand.

"It's going to be ok Wendy, It's going to be ok."

A/N: Going to end the chapter there. More to come…..


	10. Chapter 10

Mindy Bimms

Mindy Bimms

A/N: I do not own the CSI characters, I am just borrowing them.

I just own Dan and Maureen Hodges and his brothers Terry and Steve and their wives Mary and Nancy. I also own Marjorie and Alan Simms – Wendy's parents.

Things heat up for the Hodges family as David and Wendy cling to life after their hit and run…

Chapter Ten

Sara accompanied Wendy to the hospital while Grissom waited for the LV crew to arrive in San Francisco. He was good friends with a few people on the San Francisco police force and crime lab and because it was their team that was injured, the LV crew was allowed to process the scene. Grissom gave instructions to Sergeant Jones of the police force to pass on to Catherine and Warrick, who were arriving along with Greg and Nick. Grissom had to distance himself from the scene because he was getting too emotional with the whole situation.

"Tell Warrick and Catherine to come to the hospital when they arrive. Nick and Greg can process the scene." Said Grissom. Grissom also handed the Sergeant a piece of paper with the license plate of the vehicle that Sara had gotten as she had witnessed the hit and run. Grissom also handed him the name of the suspects – or at least one of the suspects.

Grissom headed to the hospital. When he arrived, Sara was waiting impatiently in the intensive care waiting area. She was pacing back and forth and muttering to herself.

"Sara, calm down please" Grissom said and put his hand on her shoulder.

"They're not coming Griss, they are not coming" she babbled.

"Who are not coming ,what are you talking about?"

"David's family, I called them HOURS ago and they still haven't shown up" she said and began babbling all over again.

"Sara, it has only been a half an hour. They will show up" Grissom said.

Soon after Maureen, Dan and Steve came rushing into the waiting area. "Where is he?" Dan asked.

"He's in surgery, he has a few contusions and sprains… and some internal damage" Gil said and looked away when he saw the tears forming in Maureen's eyes.

"Do you have any idea who did this" Dan asked Grissom directly.

Sara and Grissom exchanged looks. "We have an idea, but right now we can't prove it – until we get the note analyzed" he said.

"Please tell us who did this to my brother." Steve said, his eyes red and blotchy.

Grissom sighed. "Steve, until we have proof, I am not at liberty to reveal who we suspect"

"You think it was Mary don't you. You think Mary is the one who hit David and Wendy." Steve said sullenly.

Grissom said nothing.

"That tells me a lot Mr. Grissom, that tells me that you suspect my wife hit David and Wendy. " Steve said and left the area.

Maureen and Dan stared at Grissom and then at their son's retreating back. "Is this true? Do you actually suspect that Mary would do this to David?"

Grissom and Sara were silent but they heard Warrick's voice from the corridor.

"Griss" Warrick called out.

"Excuse me, Maureen, Dan, I have to talk to my colleague"

Grissom hurried to where Warrick was standing. "Where's Catherine?"

"She's paying the cabbie. We brought your kit as well. Man they gave us issues at the airport!"

"David is still in surgery. I'm sure you can get any evidence off him shortly."

"Won't any evidence be compromised?"

"Yeah, but in this case we didn't have a choice, he needed to go into surgery right away, Wendy too, so any evidence will be tainted."

"Will it stand up in court" Warrick asked.

"It will. When the patient's life is at stake, like in this case then as long as we have evidence of the culprit, it'll be ok." Grissom said.

"Did you talk to a defense lawyer?"

"I have my sources" he said.

Catherine arrived inside and the three of them walked to the waiting room. Grissom introduced Catherine and Warrick to David's family.

"By the way, has anyone contacted Wendy's family?" Suddenly remembered that Wendy was also in surgery.

"I called her parents home and left a message for someone to call me." Catherine said. "I just informed them that it was urgently requested that they call me on my cell. Which reminds me , I better check it…'

Catherine excused herself and stepped outside the hospital emergency ward and checked her messages. There was one message it was indeed from Wendy's family. Her mom to be exact asking Catherine what the situation was.

Catherine took a deep breath and dialed Wendy Simms' parents house again.

"Hello" came a groggy female voice.

"Mrs. Simms?"

"Yes, who is this and why are you calling me this late?"

"This is Catherine Willows, I work with your daughter at the LV Crime Lab"

"Is Wendy in trouble? I know she went back to San Francisco for her boyfriend's brother's celebration thingy"

Catherine sighed. "Wendy is in a hospital in San Francisco… she was the victim of a hit and run"

"What?" Mrs. Simms demanded, she was wide awake now.

"She and David were exiting a restaurant with other colleagues when the culprit barreled into her. I don't know much other details, I'm giving you what I was told."

"Is she going to be ok?"

"I don't know her status right now, she and David both are in surgery." Replied Catherine.

"My husband and I will be on a flight to San Francisco as soon as possible." She said and Catherine told her to call her when a flight was booked so someone would be able to meet them at the airport to accompany them to the hospital. Mrs. Simms said she'd let her know.

Marjorie Simms woke up her husband by shaking him. "Alan! Alan! Wake up" she said.

Alan Simms rolled over. "What Marjorie?" he muttered.

"We gotta go to San Francisco! " she began.

"Why Marjorie? What good would it do to go to San Francisco? I know you don't like that David Hodges she's been dating and crashing his brother's celebration to bring our daughter home would not be a good thing! Now if you don't mind, go to sleep"

"Alan you idiot. Wendy's been in an accident!"

"What?" he was awake now.

"David Hodges hit her and ran! She was a victim of a hit and run and David Hodges was involved! He probably did it because she wouldn't sleep with him.. .you know those values we instilled in her from the time she was a child"

Alan groaned. His wife still believes that their daughter was a virgin at the age of 35. Considering she and David were _living_ _together_ he highly doubted it.

"Marjorie, get with it, David loves Wendy, he would never do that, and by the way, the two of them are living together you know"

Marjorie was getting dressed and she stopped and glared at her husband. "Our daughter knows our values and beliefs so she better not be doing anything immoral"

"Marjorie, it is the year 2008, not the early 1900s – get your brain into the twenty-first century for a change. That's most likely the reason she wanted to move out – you were way too strict with her!" Alan said as he threw a few items in an overnight bag.

"Too strict with her? Alan, there's nothing wrong with accompanying your child out on a date" Marjorie said and glared at him.

"Not when she is twenty five years old" Thundered Alan. "You scared that poor boy away and she was black listed for years as the girl who's mommy accompanies her on a date."

Alan and Marjorie didn't say another word. When they were able to secure a flight Alan called Catherine and they made arrangements for someone to meet them in San Francisco to take them to the hospital.


	11. Chapter 11

Mindy Bimms

Mindy Bimms

A/N: I do not own the CSI characters, I am just borrowing them.

I just own Dan and Maureen Hodges and his brothers Terry and Steve and their wives Mary and Nancy. I also own Marjorie and Alan Simms – Wendy's parents.

Wendy's parents arrive at the hospital…and all is not rosy.

Chapter Eleven

Jim Brass accompanied Wendy's parents to San Francisco. It just happened that he was on his way to San Francisco to assist with the case. Gil had called him and told him what happened to David and Wendy and Jim offered to accompany Marjorie and Alan Simms to the hospital.

There was silence in the cab except for minor sighs from Marjorie and when they arrived at the hospital Alan handed the cabbie some money and he, Marjorie and Jim went inside the hospital. Jim flashed his ID and told the ER staff that Marjorie and Alan were parents of a hit an run victim and went on to explain that they were joining the others in the waiting room who were waiting for them.

When they arrived in the waiting area, Dan and Maureen Hodges, Catherine and Warrick, Grissom and Sara were all waiting sullenly for any reports of either David or Wendy.

"Any news?" Jim asked.

"No, nothing yet" Gil replied.

"I'm going to try to find out something." Jim said.

Marjorie approached Maureen Hodges. "You that bastard's mother? That bastard that hit my daughter?" Marjorie said with a snarl.

Maureen glanced up at Marjorie in surprise. "My son did not hit your daughter I don't know where you got that idea!" Maureen replied.

"That is what she told me!" Marjorie said and pointed a finger at Catherine.

"What are you talking about? I did no such thing! I never told you that David was the one who hit your daughter!"

"Then who the hell did! I want answers and I want them right the is second" Marjorie demanded.

A doctor came out of a room angrily. "If you don't mind, there are patents in this corridor, you need to keep your voice down" he said.

"I want an answer now, what happened to my daughter who hit her!"

"Madam, I have no idea what you're talking about, you will have to talk to someone else, I have patients to deal with. Now please be quiet or you will be removed from this hospital" the doctor said and went back in the room he had just came out of.

While Alan tried to calm his wife, Jim returned to the waiting area.

"What's going on Jim, are they out of surgery?"

"David's out of surgery and in recovery and so is Wendy, they are a little battered and bruised and out of the 'serious' phase and stabilized."

"Can they have visitors?" Sara asked on behalf of everyone.

"The doctor said he'd be out momentarily" Jim said.

Greg and Nick entered the waiting area. "Hey guys, we have our evidence Griss, where do we go to process?" Nick asked.

Before answering Grissom introduced Greg and Nick to David and Wendy's parents. "Go to the San Francisco crime lab and ask for Sam Sheehan. He is expecting you and will give you all the assistance you need." Gil said.

A short time later David and Wendy were moved into rooms so their friends and family could visit. Normally there was a two person visitor limit, but the staff let the others visit as well.

Marjorie approached her daughter and gasped. Wendy had contusions on her face and a rib injury and a broken arm. "My baby. Who did this to you?"

David was in no better shape. He also had face contusions and a rib injury and some damage to his left leg.

Both were still unconscious, but were expected to survive.

"If you'll excuse me I have to make a call" said Maureen suddenly.

Maureen left her son's hospital room and on a hunch Sara followed her outside and staying out of sight, Sara watched everything. She was now an expert at reading lips. (after meeting Grissom's mom she learned very quickly how to read lips)

"Mary what the hell did you do to my son!" Maureen was saying.

"What are you talking about Momsy dearest I did absolutely nothing to David"

"Don't lie to me Mary, you were involved in that hit and run on David and Wendy"

"They'll never convict me if that is the truth"

"Why did you do it Mary?"

Mary did not reply.

"Is this about the divorce papers?" asked Maureen.

"It is about the paternity of Alicia that Steve is questioning"

"Did you cheat on my son? Why would he be questioning the paternity of Alicia?"

Mary said nothing.

"Do you need a lawyer?"

Mary didn't reply.

Maureen sighed. "I'll call one for you in the morning. Even if you are guilty, you are family…for now"

Maureen closed her cell phone and as she was about ready to head back into the hospital Sara stopped her.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked.

"Back to see my son, or is that a crime now?"

"No it's not a crime, but aiding an abetting and not coming clean about your daughter in law is" Sara said.

"What? Were you spying on me?"

"No, not spying, I was out here taking a breather and I just happen to look over and see you chatting on your phone. Considering it is 3am, I was wondering who'd you be talking to. I can read lips Maureen" Sara said and two moments later, Jim Brass and a SF. Cop came out from the hospital and arrested Maureen.

A/N: More to come……


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters

A/N: Sorry it has taken me this long to upload the following 4 chapters, been busy with school.

Jim Brass escorted Maureen Hodges to a waiting squad car.

"Where is my husband" she demanded.

"You just go with this nice officer and we'll tell your husband where you are." Jim said.

Inside, Dan Hodges sat by his son's bedside. Steve entered the room, his face ashen.

"What?"

"They've arrested mom" he said.

Dan looked incredulous. "What?"

Steve looked at his brother. "Mary was involved." he said

Dan didn't say a word.

"You knew?"" Steve said.

"I suspected something awry when I heard a conversation between mom and Mary"

"What?"

"On a phone conversation" Dan said evasively and turned away.

"Does this have anything to do with my Doctorate celebration?"

Dan glared at him. "Duh, yeah, what do you think?"

"Dad, Mary had no right to be so rude to David or Wendy!"

"Steve, she's your wife, you had no right to uninvited her to the ceremony"

"Oh we're back to that are we!"

Mary is an influential woman in this city, it doesn't pay to screw with her or mom!"

"Dad, Mary cheated on me. Alicia is not my child." Steve blurted.

"Who is then?"

"Well according to DNA, the child's father has DNA in common with me" Steve said. "Eight alleles to be exact"

Dan was quiet again.

"Dad did you know that Terry slept with Mary?"

Dan looked at his youngest son. "As a matter of fact I did" he said point-blank.

Steve's jaw dropped in shock. "Why didn't you tell me, my wife cheated on me with my own brother and got pregnant?"

Dan shrugged. "She told me not to."

"And you do everything she says"

"In this case yeah, she asked me not to tell as it was none of your business if she slept with Terry" Dan replied.

"And Nancy was ok with it?"

"She has no idea" Dan replied.

"Where's Terry now?"

"Right here" a voice said.

"Why?" demanded Steve to his eldest brother.

"What are you talking about?"

"Why did you sleep with my wife Terry?"

Nancy glared at her husband. "What is he talking about Terry?"

To his wife, Terry said, "Nothing… uh get me a coffee"

Nancy threw him a glare and went for the coffee.

"Are you trying to ruin my marriage" Terry seethed.

The two brother squabbled a little more until…..

"WILL YOU TWO SHUT THE HELL UP!"

It was David; he had come out of the coma.

Grissom, hearing his voice came running. "How do you feel Dave?" he asked. (since neither his brothers nor his own father acknowledged that he had awoke from the coma)

"Sore, where's Wendy"

"Next room, she's recovering" replied Grissom.

Terry and Steve glared at each other and Dan didn't know what to do. His perfect family was falling apart.

Nancy timidly entered the room. "Hi David" she said and gave him a little peck on the cheek.

David actually liked Nancy. They seemed to get a long and enjoy some of the same hobbies. Nancy had confided in David that she wanted to be a lab tech. David in turn told her what schooling she needed.

"Dave, I need your help. I have obtained the requirements to be a lab tech and I was wondering if you have any job leads yet?

Terry interrupted. "Excuse me Nancy, but what about our kids? If you're working who's gonna take care of them?"

Nancy turned to Terry. "I've already taken care of that. Erika is going to be in all day school in September and Ella is going to daycare, in the mornings and my mothers in the afternoon."

"We'll talk about this when I get outta here. September is a few months away. "he said with a half-sneer.

She nodded at David, who returned the nod. She then turned to her husband. "Good bye" she said and started to walk away.

"What!" thundered Terry.

"You heard me Good bye." and left the room with a very angry Terry following.

Gil's beeper went off. "Excuse me," he said to David. It was Mandy with an urgent message.

Grissom left the hospital to return Mandy's page.

"I have a positive DNA match on the male fingerprint on the letter."

"Who is it Mandy?"

"Terry Hodges" she replied.

Grissom sighed and thanked her.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Grissom went back into the hospital room just in time to see Terry Hodges being lead away in handcuffs.

"Why did you do it Terry – sleep with your sister in law that is…" Grissom asked.

Terry snarled at him. "Cuz Stevie was too tired and Mary wanted another child before she got too old."

"I was studying for my doctorate Terry. That consumes a lot of time. Mary, by the way pushed me into it. Threatening me that if I didn't continue my education to get a doctorate degree, I'd be an embarrassment to the family. Of course I gave into her demands."

"You had no time for sex?" Terry demanded.

"Very little time for anything else – studying, work, I barely had time to sleep!"

"You also didn't take her out for your anniversary" Terry said.

"My exam was at 8:00am the following day in another city 200miles away, I couldn't. I told her I'd take her out for a weekend of fun after my exam!"

"A real man would have sucked it up" terry said.

Suddenly Steve realized that that was when Alicia was conceived. Steve was out of town at a hotel because of the exam, leaving Terry and Mary to mess around. He suspected that Alicia wasn't his for a variety of reasons, but now the realization was even stronger.

The cops took Terry away and left Steve standing there disgusted. Dan came out of David's room and looked at his son. "I am so sorry Steve."

"Sorry for what? My marriage is ruined, my baby is not mine, my brother slept with my wife and now his marriage is ruined. Two families who were together yesterday are now ruined. What about the kids?"

Steve began to sob and Dan put a hand on his son's back and patted it.

Meanwhile in Wendy's room, she began to stir. "David help!" she cried out. Marjorie looked at Alan. "She's waking up Alan!"

Wendy's eyes fluttered open. "Mom what happened?"

"You were almost killed by a hit and run driver." Marjorie said.

Wendy began to remember. "Redhead and long blond hair." she murmured.

"She's delirious" Marjorie said.

"When she gets outta here she's coming back home with us so we can monitor the people she hangs out with" she said to her husband and motioned a nurse who just happened to walk by.

"Yes"

"Do a rape kit on her and tell me of any sexual activity"

The nurse looked from Marjorie to Alan. "The patient is 35 years old. We do not have to release any info of the sort to you"

"She is my _child_ do as I say" Marjorie said.

"Madam, if you raise your voice at me again you will be asked to leave" said the nurse and she left.

Marjorie glared at her retreating back and went to follow, but Alan stopped her.

"Marjorie no. Let it go, Wendy is a 35 year old woman with a career, boyfriend and a life of her own. She does not need us horning in on her business."

"But our beliefs…."Marjorie began.

"Marjorie let it go!"Alan said angrily.

The friends and relatives of David Hodges and Wendy Simms were asked to leave about an hour later as visiting hours were over and because neither were in critical condition any more. (when they were in critical condition, friends and family were allowed to stay passed visiting hours)

"We'll be back tomorrow" Marjorie told her daughter.

"Dave, we need to talk" Steve said. "We need a huge favour regarding Alicia if Terry and Mary are arrested."

David nodded. "Tomorrow Steve" he said and fell back to sleep.

The next day, Steve went back to visit David. Wendy was sitting in a wheelchair beside David's bed.

"Hi Wendy, Hi Dave, can we talk?" Steve asked.

"I'm going anyway, I am in need of food" Wendy said and wheeled herself out of the room.

Steve sat in a chair beside David's bed. "As you know, Terry and Mary have been arrested in your hit and run and attempted murder. They could go away for a long time." He paused and David nodded.

"Alicia is not my child. It has been established that she is Mary and Terry's love child."

David gasped. "Oh my!"

"If the prosecutor gets what he is asking for, Terry and Mary are going away for a long time. Even if the prosecutor gets the minimum he is asking for, Alicia will be in middle school before they get out"

"So you want Wendy and I to foster Alicia" David finished.

Steve nodded. "She's family and since…" Steve couldn't continue.

David understood what he was getting at. Nancy already had two kids, one being an infant and Steve had a 5 ½ year old daughter who yes needed obvious care, but not early morning bottle feedings that at 6 month old baby still needed although less frequent. Steve loved his niece (who he thought was his daughter) but just didn't have the time or patience to deal with a baby now that Mary was going away. True he tended to her needs when he thought she was his, but now that it has been established that he was not his child, it would also be too hard to look at her and love her the same way.

"I will talk to Wendy" David said.

Meanwhile in Wendy's room, she had heard everything. _Steve wants us to take custody of Alicia! Are we ready for this? I have to be brave and not act like I've heard everything._" She thought.

David ambled into Wendy's room.

"Hi'

"Hi"

"They know who hit us."

"Who"

"Terry, and Mary, Steve's wife."

Wendy made a face.

"The baby Mary had six months ago was not Steve's, Terry is actually the daddy. They are going to jail for a long time… even though the trial is not for a while, we know they're going away for a while…. Here's the scary part, Wendy, Steve asked if we'd foster her."

Wendy looked at David. "Are we ready for the responsibility?"

""We're not, but we have to do this… I don't want Alicia to go to a foster home…" he said then he added in a hushed voice. "After what I found out about Sara's foster home situation… I really think Alicia belongs with family."


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Please refer to previous chapters.

A/N: So Wendy and Hodges have been asked to foster Alicia, who is the love child of Terry and Mary Hodges. Terry is David's eldest brother who was married to Nancy and they have 2 children. Steve is the youngest and they have two children…or so they thought. Steve's youngest child – Alicia has been proven through a DNA/paternity test that she is not biologically his and that Terry is the actual father. Terry and Mary, schemed and for whatever reason in their minds decided to run down David and Wendy. They are currently in jail waiting their trials. Bail has been denied due to the ordeal involving a lot of people. Since no one in the Hodges' family wants to see baby Alicia in a foster home, Steve asked if David and Wendy would foster her.

I also want to amend the setting once again - David Hodges was a transplant from Las Angeles, not San Diego or San Francisco as I thought earlier. So from now on, when I have David visiting his parents – he will go to L.A.

Chapter Fourteen

As far as the celebration / grad ceremony for Steve getting his Doctorate, the celebration did go on, but Steve did not attend. He got the school to courier the degree. The family had more important matters to deal with.

Terry and Mary went to trial for attempted murder on Wendy and David and their other charge, a hit and run. They were convicted of first degree hit and run (intent) and sentenced to three years each for that. As for the attempted murder charge, they pleaded down to attempted manslaughter only the prosecutor would not accept the plea. They were convicted of attempted murder x2 each. They would be spending 20 years in jail. Their lawyers appealed siteing they have children and they have rights to see the kids and they would want the kids to visit them in jail. They were denied their appeal, especially after all the testimony against both Terry and Mary and a lot came out during the trial.

As they were being led away Mary cried out. "What about Alicia! She needs her mom and dad, please have mercy on us"

"Alicia is going to be in good hands" Steve said.

"By whom? David? No way do I want him to be raising my daughter"

"Be quiet" hissed her lawyer. "You are going away for 20 years. What? Do you want her to be put in foster care – in the home of a stranger?"

"Better a stranger than that freak" she replied.

Mary and Terry were lead away in handcuffs.

Wendy and David discussed the pros and cons of fostering Alicia.

"Are we ready?" she asked.

"Wendy, I want Alicia to have a good upbringing. Who knows what kind of life she'd have otherwise"

"Ok, lets do it." she said.

A huge grin spread across David's face. David thought of something. "Steve, what about Amy?" She's going to wonder where her sister is."

"She's asking questions about her mom too. Yeah we'll have to be sensitive about that"

"Two families screwed because of infidelity" David said.

"Nancy tells me Erika is asking where here dad is and Ella is saying Dad a as if she too wonders where he is."

David shook his head. "Well I know the custody hearing takes place in a week and there's the home visit before hand so Wendy and I better get home and baby-proof the apartment.

Steve looked at David. "As far as compensation for raising Alicia, the state will be taking money from Terry. I am not sure how, but you will be compensated for what you and Wendy are doing."

"David nodded"

"We also have to look into child care too." Wendy mused.

At that, Marjorie Simms and Maureen Hodges entered the room.

"No worries, we will be your babysitters." Maureen said and handed them a piece of paper.

Wendy and David exchanged looks and then looked at the paper. "We'll consider your offer ladies, but for now we may just decide on daycare centre care, we have a small centre at the lab that we could put her in" Wendy said.

"But that's silly, you have us, the grandparents" said Maureen.

"Look, she's going to be our child, so we decide." Said Wendy.

"She will learn proper lady-like values , which we obviously failed with you" Marjorie said.

"Mother, now is not the time for you to be spouting off that nonsense" Wendy warned.

"No dating until she's 18. Chaperoned dates until she's 25. Arranged marriage to an appropriate boy of proper social stature." Continued Marjorie.

David and Wendy exchanged looks. "By the time she's 18, she will be in college and living in dorms." Wendy said. "and I will allow dorm living"

Wendy was not allowed to live in dorms due to the nature of living away from home. Parties, boys, sex, drinking. Marjorie wanted to keep her daughter innocent as long as possible.

"We only did that for your own good Wendy" Marjorie said.

"By making me commute 2 hours to school one way? By me getting up at five to get to school for a seven thirty class? By not allowing me to get my driver's license to make the commute faster? That was for my own good?" Wendy was yelling now. Hodges was not the only one with deep issues regarding family.

Mother and daughter were locked in a very tight glare. Neither wanted to break away and finally Marjorie did. She huffed and stormed out of the room.

"That felt good." She said.

Marjorie and Alan flew back to Vegas without even a good bye to their daughter. Maureen and Dan stayed in Las Angeles. They offered to help Steve with Amy if he needed a babysitter.

Wendy and David had a few loose ends to tie up in L.A so they stayed behind for a few more days. Grissom and crew headed back home as the investigation had been completed. Gil told David and Wendy to take time to recuperate from their ordeal and also get their apartment ready for Alicia. They said they'd take the time. (like most of the graveyard crew, David and Wendy were also workaholics who rarely takes time off)

Since Sara was not officially part of the LVPD anymore and was not ready to return to Vegas, she and Grissom had their parting.

"Thanks for your help Sara… I hope you'll come back to Vegas some day"

"I've a few more loose ends to tie up and I'm going to return. Don't worry Gil, I love you and I'll be back before you know it"

Sara waved as Grissom left in the cab. She touched her belly. She's gonna have to tell him before arriving in Vegas. She is 6 weeks pregnant with Gil's child.

A/N: I know, I know, it is a WEDGES fic, but I couldn't help it, I had to slip in a little GSR. But don't worry all you WEDGES fans, I am not going to be focusing on Sara and Gil (a mention here or there) My next chapters will be focusing on Wendy and David and their adjustment. Mother and mother in law issues will be coming into play as well. (I have Wendy's mom show up at the apartment at the most inconvenient time and course she's… well Marjorie Simms has a real attitude problem about her adult daughter living with her boyfriend….


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

One month later…

One month has passed since the ordeal that changed all of the three Hodges brothers' families forever. Steve found his wife Mary had cheated and conceived a baby with his other brother Terry. Terry and Mary ended up in jail due to the fact that they attempted to kill Wendy and David by running them down.

David and Wendy agreed to foster baby Alicia who is the love-child of Mary and Terry. Meanwhile, the two remaining spouses, Steve and Nancy, who decided they had nothing left for them in L.A. packed up and moved to Vegas. David talked to Grissom and as it happened there was an opening for a lab tech on the day shift and seeing that Nancy was a recent graduate, she was recommended for the position.

Grissom was intrigued by Steve's knowledge of entomology so Steve was hired as a CSI level 1 for Day shift. Grissom also asked Steve to co-author a book he was researching and maybe even assist in teaching the odd conference if interested. Steve, who thought Gil Grissom was a E_ntomologic God_ said he'd be thrilled to be his protégé.

The four children in this _mess_ either attended daycare or school. Erika and Amy wee both 6 by the cut off date to start grade one. Rides to and from school would be arranged though the before/after school program offered at the school.

Wendy adamantly refused to let her mom baby sit as she wanted Alicia to be round babies her own age. Considering that Nancy's daughter Ella was also attending the daycare, it would be good that the two babies would attend together. The strangest thing was that the relationship between the two babies were half sisters & cousins.

Wendy talked to the teachers at the daycare and got a plan of what the children do. The teachers constantly interact and talk to the babies so she knew that what she was doing was the right thing. With her mom, Wendy didn't think Marjorie would be interacting the way the teachers were going to be doing.

Marjorie, of course didn't agree with this plan and went to the daycare to pickup her granddaughter.

"May I help you" the receptionist said.

"I am Marjorie Simms, I am here to pick up my granddaughter Alicia Hodges"

The woman looked up Alicia's record on the computer and frowned.

"You're her grandmother?"

"Yes"

"You are not on the approved pick up list" the receptionist replied.

Marjorie's brow furrowed. "Excuse me!"

"You are not on the approved list, you will have to leave"

"I am not leaving, without Alicia"

The woman, who was identified as Alexandra Simpson stood up from her spot. "Madam, if you don't leave now I am calling the cops"

"And if you don't give me my granddaughter, I'm going to shut this place down" she replied coldly.

Alexandra hit the alert button under the desk This button summons two armed police men that patrolled the daycare grounds.

Faking a smile, she said, "Follow me"

They didn't get far because the two police officers met them in the hall.

"You're coming with us madam"

"Excuse me?"

"You're coming with us, you are under arrest for threatening Alexandra Simpson."

"All I wanted was my granddaughter."

"And I told you, you are not on the list!"

Nothing more was said and Marjorie was brought to LVPD.

Judy, the receptionist at CSI got the call and went to the DNA lab to see Wendy.

"Wendy you have a visitor at PD."

"What? Who?"

Judy went up to her and told her it was her mom.

Wendy shrugged. "She wants something - I know she's wanting me to let her baby-sit. She's causing trouble."

"Wendy she's been arrested. There was an incident at the daycare." Judy told her.

Wendy paled and left her lab to go to see her mom and came face to face with her dad. "What's going on Dad?"

Alan shook his head. "Wendy I have no idea why she's acting like this…I am really sorry!"

"Is she gonna stay locked up?"

"No, there were no really violent charges. She never got near Alicia. She was angry that she was not on the approved pick up list " said Alexandra Simpson, who just appeared.

Wendy shook her head. "Alicia is not even her biological grandchild!"

"Really, she claims to be"

"No she's not, She is not a blood relative at all. She my boyfriend David's niece and we're fostering her" .

Alexandra nodded and said, "I will make a note of that in her file."

"Can you keep her locked up for the night?" Wendy asked.

The cop, standing there nodded. "Yeah, she's threatened Alexandra. We'll keep her in overnight so she can cool off.

Wendy went back to CSI and ran into David in the locker area.

"What's up?" he teased.

"Mother troubles"

David nodded and listened to what Wendy had to say about what happened.

"She's dangerous Wendy, she's not a well woman"

"I know David, I know, we have an issue here that needs to be dealt with."

"If she tried this once, who's to say she won't try again. Alexandra is very savvy about the situation, but if she's away and some newbie is working reception, your mother may just intimidate her way in and take Alicia."

"She ill stop at nothing David, I am afraid. She will keep at it until she gets what she wants and she wants Alicia."

"My question to you Wendy… what about the rest of your family, your other sisters? You have three other sisters ranging in age from ten through twenty-nine. Why is she so intent on having an infant?"

Wendy didn't reply, she just walked out of the locker room. David sighed. There were deep seeded issues in the Simms family that Wendy hadn't told him… But the strange thing is.. Where was Alan in all of this? When Marjorie insisted on chaperoning Wendy's dates why hadn't Alan put his foot down?

A/N: That's all for now.. more to come soon.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI or the characters I'm borrowing them for this fan fiction story.

Wendy and David officially took over the care of Alicia three months after the whole ordeal the Hodges family went through. The infidelity of Terry & Mary with their spouses Nancy and Steve still hurt them. Since Terry and Mary were tried and convicted with hit & run and attempted murder because they ran down David and Wendy, they were headed to jail for a very long time. Terry and Mary had conceived a child – Alicia when Steve was in another town because he was taking his doctorate exams. Mary thought that Steve outght to have taken her out for their anniversary and "sucked it up" the following day for his exams. She didn't understand that their anniversary dinner could wait a day or two but passing his doctorate exams were a little more important. Another reason for the infidelity was that Mary had needs and because of studying and preparing for his exams and working, Steve apparently was not doing his _husbandly _duties enough to satisfy Mary, so she sought love and affection with Terry. (her brother in law)

Upon all this mess, two divorces were filed and custody of the children were automatically given to the remaining parent and the jailed parent would not have visits with their children. They would be allowed to send video messages back and forth. No one wanted either an infant or 6 year olds visiting their jailed parent. David, the blood uncle of Alicia was given custody and because he was living with Wendy, they both had to get a complete check done (despite working for the LVPD) They had to take parenting classes too.

Their wonderful life thus far was going to get worse before it got better, especially with a woman like Marjorie Simms in the mix. Wendy's mother was an overbearing woman who didn't believe in sex before marriage, dating before the age of 21, living in dorms at college and accompanying her daughters on dates with their boyfriends even at the age of 25. Her reason – wanting to keep her daughters pure until she could set them up with a proper boy of a certain stature. (never mind if he has had sex before – it was allowed for boys but not girls)

Wendy was at home alone early one Saturday morning. David had been asked by the guys at work to join them in some charity golf tournament. Not the best golfer, but always eager to be part of the team, David agreed, leaving Wendy at home with Alicia.

The phone rang at 9:00am, jolting Wendy out of a deep sleep. "Hello"

"Wendy can I come and stay with you, mom is driving me crazy" said a female voice.

Wendy sat up straight. "What's the matter Dana?"

Dana was her 19 year old sister who was taking classes at Western LVU.

"What did she do now" Wendy said with a sigh.

"She is not letting me go on the required field trip" replied Dana.

"Where is it? And why is she not letting you go?"

"It's a trip to Arizona – we're going to study the Grand Canyon. And the reason is because we're going to be going over night and you know momsy…"

Wendy sighed again. She had many fights about this kind of thing with her mom when she was in college.

"Dana you are nineteen, you are a legal adult, why don't you just stand up to mom and tell her that you're going"

Dana made a snorting sound . "You never did that with mom, you never stood up to her!"

"I was a weakling Dana, you are much stronger than I am" she said.

"I tried Wendy. She said if I disobeyed her, she was cutting me off and I'll be kicked out of school. But with out this field trip, which we are going to have projects and assignments to do, I could fail."

Wendy sighed. She didn't know what to advise her sister. But before she got a chance to say anything more, she heard some muffled sounds and voices and then a click.

"That does not bode well for Dana" mused Wendy aloud as she got up to tend to Alicia who was fussing in her crib.

Wendy didn't hear anything more from Dana that day. But it was later that evening, when she was in the shower that a phone call came in for her. David answered the call.

"Hello"

"Where is Wendy?" said a panicked voice.

"Christine, how nice to hear from you, what is the matter?" David asked.

Christine was Wendy's fourteen year old sister.

"It's mom, she's gone off the deep end!" Christine said.

"What do you mean" David asked, puzzled.

"Did Wendy tell you about the conversation she had with Dana earlier?"

"Yeah, a little. Dana needed to go on this field trip for school and your mom won't let her and threatened to cut her off if she disobeys."

"Where is your father in all this, why hasn't he ever said anything to your mom about these rules?" David asked.

Christine didn't reply.

"Christine are you still there?"

"Yeah I am"

"So answer the question why hasn't your dad said a word?"

Christine hung up.

Wendy entered the room with a towel on her head. "Who was that?"

"Christine. She hung up on me!"

David told her about their conversation and when he got to the part about her dad, Wendy put her hand up.

"What!"

"We don't discuss dad and his input in my family"

"Wendy please tell me, there is some deep issue in your family that you are not telling me, something that has caused your dad not to have any input in his children's life. What is he as sperm donor?"

Wendy looked up at him and glared. "That's quite enough!"

"Then tell me!" David said with exasperation.

Wendy sat down on the couch and David joined her.

"I am one of thirteen children. I have eight sisters and four brothers we are between the ages of 35 and fourteen. Mom wanted a big family but not a husband. She hooked up with four or five different men over the course of her baby-making years and made each of her sperm donors sign a contract that they will have no say in the offspring's life. All the men agreed. Usually she picked men who were uneducated and didn't know better. So as we all grew up, mom treated us girls with an iron fist and the boys were allowed to plant their seed anywhere. You know how it was with me at college. Man I was blacklisted by all the guys at the school! Anyway this latest thing is ridiculous, Dana needs her education and if it means letting her stay with us for the time being then we should … and assist with her tuition because mom will cut her off.

Wendy stopped discussing her weird home life because Alicia began to cry. But after she fed the baby she and David didn't talk about it again. They did, however spend the night in each other's arms in bliss.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI or the characters I'm borrowing them for this fan fiction story.

A/N: This chapter revolves around Wendy's dysfunctional family. Very angsty. I will get back to the real storyline next chapter, I'm building on some real action (or at least trying to)

Wendy's sister Dana was furious. She and her mother were at odds again and Dana was sick of being treated like a child.

"Mother, this is a school requirement. I have to go on this trip or I will fail Geography. Geography is my major mother!"

Marjorie Simms looked at her daughter. "You should have told your professors that you don't "do" field trips. My rules stand"

Unbeknownst to Marjorie, Dana had contacted a lawyer. The mother of the boy she was secretly dating was a high-profile lawyer and after Dana had come clean with the boyfriend and told him about his mother's weird rules, he advised her to talk to his mother. The boy's mother informed her of her rights.

Dana stood up and faced her mother. "I don't care what you say mom. I am nineteen years old and in college. I am going on this trip whether you like it or not and you cannot stop me"

Marjorie Simms muted the tv and stared at Dana in shock. Never in her life did one of her daughters sass off to her. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me" Dana said coldly. "I am going on this trip with my class and when I come home I will be moving out. "

Marjorie Simms still did not believe her daughter was doing this. "You go on this trip against my rules and you will be out on the street, cut off from your family and in serious trouble"

A few moments later there was a knock on the door. Marjorie went to answer it and to her surprise it was a police officer.

"Can I help you?"

"Is there a Dana Simms living here?"

"Yes. What has she done now"

"She is coming with us, along with your other female children"

Marjorie Simms looked at her daughters who had come down the stairs with their suitcases in hand.

"What is going on here?"

Dana looked at her mother. "You have emotionally and mentally abused us for the last time mother. You have made all of us girls the ridicule of the city with your rules of the 1940s. Who the hell accompanies their 25 year old daughter on a date!." Dana began and continued with her speech telling her that all through school – elementary and high school as well as the first three months of college that her life had been a living hell because of her mistreatment.

The other girls 14 year old Christine, 15 year old Cindy 17 year old Katrina, 18 year old Emily all agreed. The other female siblings Wendy, 35 and Amanda 30 were no longer living at home. The boys in question 27 year old Roger, 25 year old Andrew and 26 year Jerry old were not living at home. The other male boys 16 year old William, 21 year old Richard, 20 year old Jakob was living part time at home and part time at his job which takes him across the world (he is a journalist)

The boys that lived at home were also assembled and removed from their mom's home. The father wasn't home so he had no clue what the family was doing.

"I am not letting you take my children anywhere. They are my children and I can order them to do whatever I want. I own them!" Marjorie seethed.

"Ma'am you do not own your children. Most of them are grown adults anyway and you have no say in what they do." The cop told her.

"But Christine, Cindy and Katrina are all minors and I am still their guardian."

"Not for long Marjorie" said a voice.

Marjorie Siims turned. It was Alan. Her latest husband. Along with the other four men who fathered the children. Albert, Stephen, Alex and Robert.

"What are you five doing here?"

"Standing up for ourselves and our children" Said Robert. "How dare you treat these precious children like that! I know I signed that I wouldn't have 'say' in how the kids were brought up because all I was – was a sperm donor, but I certainly did not give up my rights as a father.

The five fathers presented the police with their list which oulined who fathered which child.

Albert - Wendy (35)

Stephen - Andrew (25) Jerry (26) Roger (27) Amanda (34)

Alex -Jakob (20) Richard (21)

Robert - Katrina,(17) Emily (18) Dana (19)

Alan – Christine (14) Cindy (15) William (16)

The children, although angry with their mother and her antics and abuse were a little wary about going back to their fathers. But under the circumstances, the children who were living with Marjorie who needed a place to stay or the four minors were willing to go live with their father.

"I will get you for this Dana. Mark my words! You are going to pay dearly for what you have done to this family" seethed Marjorie.

Dana glared at her mother. "All I wanted was to go on my required field trip to Arizona to study the Grand Canyon with my class. And you have to shove your rules in my face because we are going on an overnight trip. You don't realize that this is the year 2008 and that I am an adult" She said and with that she left.

Her father Robert offered to give her a ride to Wendy's house who had promised her that she could stay there for a little while.

When Dana showed up at Wendy's house she was as composed as could be. But after she rang the bell and her sister answered the door, the young co-ed collapsed in her older sisters arms crying uncontrollably. David could only stand and watch in shock.

A/N: I know its very angsty but I need to make a villain out of somebody and the other villains in this story are in jail. (LOL)


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI or the characters I'm borrowing them for this fan fiction story

Wendy guided her sister through the door as Hodges took the luggage from the gentleman standing awkwardly at the door.

"Thanks Robert" she said to Dana's father. Robert nodded and handed Hodges an envelope and left quietly.

The envelope was addressed to Wendy so Hodges put it on the kitchen table for Wendy to look at later.

"I did it! I am finally out of that hell hole!" she said weeping.

"How did you do it?"

Dana wiped her tears. "I had help from my boyfriend's mother"

Wendy looked at Dana. "Boyfriend?"

Dana looked at her sister slyly. "He's in my class at school and he lives in the dorm."

Wendy smiled at least her sister was going to get some action before she reached 20. Hodges cleared his throat.

"Uh David, I am sorry if I'm ignoring you…" Wendy said trailing off. Suddenly Alicia began to cry.

Dana, who was unaware of the ordeal involving her sister and Hodges and baby Alicia looked at her.

"When did you guys have a baby?"

"We are in the process of adopting her. She is David's neice… very complicated story"

"My family is dysfunctional" David said and held baby Alicia while Wendy fixed her bottle.

Dana looked at him warily. "You don't know the definition of Dysfunction David until you've had your mom accompany you on a date." She said.

To their surprise David reddened and cleared his throat.

"Are you serious David, Did your mother actually accompany you on a date?"

David nodded. "Yeah, once, I was sixteen and the girl was eighteen. She followed me to the restaurant and spied on me. She wanted to find out what I did on my dates. It did not end well"

"That is not the same as having your mother _accompany _ you on dates. My mom actually went with me in order to make sure the boy did not do anything!

David sighed and avoided looking at Wendy in the eye. "Ok fine. yes the scenario I described did happen, but another one did as well. I was seventeen and I wanted to go out with this girl I admired from afar, but too shy to approach. I mentioned this to my dad one day and my mom overheard. Her best friend just happened to be that girl and next thing you know mom and this best friend were setting us up on a date. The girls mother's rule was that in order for me to go out with her daughter my mother had to accompany us. Her name was Amanda Dillinger"

Wendy suddenly stifled a giggle as David's face drained of all colour. It was Wendy and Dana's sister Amanda that David was referring to.

Each of Wendy's siblings who weren't fathered by the same man, each took their father's name.

David looked from Wendy to Dana. "Glad you're having a laugh at my my expense" he said sullenly.

"Ok ok. I'm sorry" Wendy said.

David continued feeding Alicia her bottle and then remembered the letter which he left on the table. He handed it to her after getting up to get it. He was on his way to put Alicia down for her nap so he figured he'd get the letter.

After handing it to her he looked at her with a smile. "I'm going to bed now as I am exhausted. Big day at work tomorrow." He said and left the room.

The girls chimed their goodnights.

The next morning David awoke to find that Wendy had not been in their bed. Her night clothes were still folded neatly on her side of the bed.

Concerned he got out of bed and walked to Alicia's room. The baby was gurgling in her sleep. But where was Wendy and Dana.

He found Dana's suitcase where it should be, in the spare room, but no sign of Dana.

Then he saw the blood droplets. He followed the droplets Until he heard a horrific thunk and muttered swear words and two girls voices. David crept upstairs to Alicia's room and dialled 911.

Dispatcher: 911 emergency.

David: This is David Hodges, lab tech at LVPD. Send help right away, there is an attempted abduction in progress. Suspect is male and the two victims are Wendy Simms and Dana Johansen. I have no idea who the man is , but he is somehow tied to Marjorie Simms the girls deranged mother…." David trailed off as he was looking at the barrel of a gun.

Dispatcher: hello David?

Guy with the Gun: David is unavailable.

The guy hung up the phone and continued to aim the gun at David.

David said his prayers and hoped that the cops would arrive soon.

Suddenly and without warning from behind the guy, two very angry women came in sneakily and before he had a chance to do anything the girls jumped on him and managed to wrestle the gun away from him. In the struggle the gun discharged and somebody got shot………

A/N: Ok not nearly as angsty as the previous one..


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nneteen

Chapter Nneteen

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI or the characters I'm borrowing them for this fan fiction story

David held his arm, trying not to let the tears fall. He was in excruciating pain and did not want either Wendy nor Dana to see him cry.

The man the girls had wrestled the gun away from was now on the floor unconscious. In the melee while David had been shot, the gunman had been knocked to the floor and banged his head on the footboard of the bed. Dana was now sitting on him while Wendy tended to the injured David.

"Relax David, you'll be fine." Wendy said and wrapped his arm with towels."

David nodded and bit his lip and tried not to show the pain.

"The cops are on their way hope fully" Dana said and smacked the guy as he started to wake up.

Two minutes later, the cops entered the home, their guns drawn. They took the gunman into custody immediately.

"We need to take you guys down to the police station for a statement" The cop told them.

"David needs to go to the hospital, he's been shot"

"What about Alicia?" David said.

"I'll take care of her for you Wendy, David" Said a new voice.

It was Sara. She had been listening to her police scanner and when she heard it was the Hodges/Simms address she decided to investigate.

Wendy handed Alicia and her bag to Sara and told her the baby seat was in her car.

"No worries I have a baby seat in my car" she said and winked.

Wendy and David exchanged looks.

"I'm due in six months" she said.

'We'll talk more later, I really need to get to the hospital" David's pain was getting more apparent.

"I'll go with you to the hospital and then I'll go to PD for my statement" Wendy promised.

David was taken to Desert Palm for treatment with Wendy right beside him.

"Are you family?" asked the nurse to Wendy as she went to follow him.

"We're common law right now." She said and attempted to walk past.

"How long have you been common law?"

"A few months" she said getting irritated.

"Sorry. If you are not married or have been common law for at least a year then you cannot see him. You are not considered family'" The bitchy nurse said.

Wendy began to get angry. "We have a baby at home" she said.

The nurse glared at Wendy. "How old is your daughter?"

"Eight months" she replied.

"You gave birth 8 months ago and you are this skinny?" the nurse said.

Wendy put her hands on her hips. "She's our adopted daughter"

"Not blood related then?"

"She's David's niece"

"Not related to you. There is my point. Bye bye"

This nurse was not winning any politeness awards.

In the exam room, David 's arm was being examined and the nurse looked at the bullet that was lodged in his arm and shook her head. "Doctor, we can extract it in here, we need to _operate _to get it out."

The doctor examined the wound closer and nodded. "Mr Hodges, you need to be admitted immediately. Follow the nurse here and she'll take you to admitting to get the paperwork sorted."

Numbly David nodded. He wondered where Wendy went. She was supposed to be with him but she had not made it to the exam room. She sat steaming in the waiting room while the nurse behind the desk grinned at her rudely.

"Wendy! Why weren't you with me?" he asked her.

"Nurse grouchy wouldn't let me through cuz we're not married"

"Mr. Hodges needs to be admitted this minute. Ms. Simms you are not permitted in his room because you are not family. I suggest you go home" Said Nurse _Grouchy._

The other nurse, who tended to Hodges' injury looked at the other nurse. "Nurse Applegate, you are out of line. You do not speak to patients or friends of patients like that. Wendy will be allowed to accompany David to his room and spend as much time there as she wants!" she said and turned on her heel and waved them to follow her.

Wendy and David couldn't help suppressing a smile. The nurse in question glowered at them.

Fifteen minutes later David had been admitted into the hospital and had the usual tests done that were done on inpatient patients before an operation.

"That was embarrassing" he said and he tied his gown tighter.

"Haven't you ever been in the hospital for an operation?" Wendy asked.

He shook his head. "Never"

What had happened was he had been told to undress and put on the hospital gown, but what he didn't realize was that you had to tie the back of the gown or your ass would be hanging out.. Thankfully he was wearing underwear … .but unfortunately for him that morning Wendy had dared him to wear her lacy pink thong which was what he was wearing beneath the gown, which is what a few people saw as he walked down the hall from his room to the bathroom.

The doctor entered his room. "Aw it's David Hodges… or should I say 'Pinky' " he said and smiled.

David blushed and hid his face beneath the covers in shame & Wendy laughed.

"The procedure is this, tomorrow morning he'll go in for the extraction and the bullet will be removed. Thank goodness it was the arm so it will be a lot easier than if it were the heart. He is to have no liquid or food after 8:00 as the operation is at 8:00am tomorrow morning." He was addressing the both of them as he spoke.

"Ms. Simms, you may stay the night if you wish" he added.

"Thanks" I have to go to PD to make my statement, but I will be back. I also have to call Sara and Gil to tell them of the situation.

Ten minutes later the nurse came in and gave David the first of his shots, to prepare him for the operation the next day.

A/N: Before I go further in my angst regarding Wendy's family, I will add some humour. David gets shot in this chapter and is in the hospital awaiting his operation to have it removed. What will happen pre-operation when he is under the influence of some pain killers… he had just been given one shot right before Wendy left and it was 7:00pm. These painkillers should only been given every 6 hours… what happens when he gets another dose too soon?? (Don't worry it's not bad – it's very humourous!)


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI or the characters I'm borrowing them for this fan fiction story.

WARNING: This chapter contains mild smut. Read with caution. (LOL)

A/N: _Ok, the latest is that David Hodges has been shot by an intruder who apparently wanted to do something to Wendy and her sister Dana. David will be fine, he is currently in the hospital awaiting the operation to remove the bullet from his arm. He has been given one shot of pain killer at around 7:00pm that night by the evening nurse. The pain killer is a mild seditative to calm him down and numb his arm. Wendy left him for a few hours to make her statement regarding the intruder and promised to return. When she returned three hours later, there was another nurse giving David a shot… uh oh…_

_A/N-2 – the side effects of getting a double dosage of this medication is nothing harmful, it just gives the patient an air of 'loopiness' and makes him do silly things. _

_My Inspiration: (think of the episode of Three's Company where Jack is in the hospital getting a tattoo removed – he was given 1 injection of pan meds and acted quite silly and the second inspiration is the episode where Jack accompanies Janet to a friend's party where they have to fly – Jack takes tranquilizers and then has a drink with hilarious repercussions)_

Wendy entered David's room to the sight of the nurse injecting him with a needle. Wendy wondered why he needed a 2nd dosage.

"Uh nurse, he had a dosage of pain medication at 7:00, why the 2nd dosage?" she asked.

The nurse looked panicked. "That was not indicated in his chart? Are you sure he was medicated at 7:00?"

Wendy looked indignant. "Yes I am sure. I was here when the other nurse injected him!"

This nurse looked sheepish. "I had better go..yes" she said.

Wendy gritted her teeth and glared at the nurse. "Yes you better go. While you're at it get me the doctor in charge NOW" she said angrily.

Wendy watched as the nurse skittishly left the room. Wendy looked at her boyfriend with desperation and hoped that the double dosage wouldn't be a disastrous situation for him.

David had been sleeping quietly for a while after that second dosage so Wendy decided to run down to the lobby and get a coke. She was parched and needed some caffeine as well. Not fifteen minutes later, she returned to find two nurses and a doctor chasing after a half-dressed David Hodges who was laughing like a kid, his butt hanging out of his gown, unbeknownst to him.

"What is going on here?" Wendy asked as she stopped one of the nurses who was chasing him.

"He suddenly woke up and got out of bed and started running down the hall"

"Does he realize his ass is hanging out?" Wendy asked.

"The patient is unaware of the surroundings but uh oh…" the nurse stopped as the gown David had been wearing had been tossed and landed on the nurse's head.

Wendy's heart ached for her love. This would come back to haunt him in the end. David was a very private type of guy and after his reaction at being called "Pinky" because he had been wearing her lacy thong… this would be the worse embarrassing moment of his adult life.

"Just get the guy a blanket please" she said.

"This is funny, never have we been this entertained." Laughed the nurse.

"Yeah well if you had done your job and marked down that he had a dosage at 7:00 then this would never have happened." Wendy snarled and snatched a blanket from a empty bed and went and go a hold of Hodges who was attempting to climb some hospital apparatus and failing.

"David, come with me now" Wendy soothed as she wrapped him in a blanket and guided him back to his room. She managed to get him back in a hospital gown and in his bed. He fell asleep within minutes.

About an hour later he woke up.

"Wendy"

She looked up from her magazine. "Yeah"

"I'm remotely aware I have done something painfully stupid…" he began.

"Well kinda, but it was not all your fault. You got a 2nd dosage of that medication."

He was silent. "What did I do?"

Wendy looked away and said nothing.

"What did I do Wendy…. Please tell me"

She looked deep into his blue eyes and told him of his antics, including the part when he took off the gown.

"Y-y-y ou m-mean to s-say I was wa-alking down the all n-naked?" he stammered.

Wendy nodded.

David groaned. "I'm gonna be the laughing stock."

"Well …"

"I was _excited _wasn't I" he said inferring the obvious.

"In more ways than one." Said a new voice.

It was the nurse who gave the original dosage who had also been the admitting nurse – the one Wendy dubbed "Nurse Grouchy"

"Why did you not indicate it in his chart? It could have been very lethal"

"Take a chill pill honey, the first dosage was not really a dosage, it was a placebo, it was sugar water, fake"

"So what are you saying then – my humiliating antics were all my own doing – the shot had nothing to do with it?" David asked and swallowed hard.

The nurse grinned like the Cheshire cat and left them alone.

David said nothing he was lost in his own little world of shame and total humiliation.

Wendy knew how to cheer him up. She went to the door of the room and locked it. She then disrobed and climbed into bed with her lover and they made the earth shake and dispite the bullet in his arm, he managed to do everything he usually did to please his lady love.

The following day David was wheeled into the operating room with a gigantic smile on his face, the incident of the previous day gone from his mind. But what neither Wendy nor David were aware of is the consequence of their actions that night for David was neither wearing a condom nor was Wendy on birth control.

A/N: I know it was a little OOC for Hodges to act that way, but when one is under the influence of anything … who knows what could happen (look at the Three's Company Episodes that inspired me. The first one mentioned regarding the tattoo is aptly named "Jack's Tattoo" and the other one is called "Up in the Air"


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI or the characters I'm borrowing them for this fan fiction story.

David's operation went off with no problems and he went to recovery after the operation and released a short time later. He was told he could return to work within a week. Wendy of course had to return to work so David was at home alone with Alicia.

The intruder had admitted he had been hired by Wendy's mother to kidnap both Dana and Wendy to return home and abide by her rules. The Intruder was charged and convicted with kidnapping and ordered jail time and not to come within 100 yards of anybody in Wendy's family. The intruder was relatively remorseful and agreed.

Dana went on her trip to the Grand Canyon and she was pleased about that as well as the fact that she was allowed to move into the dorms. One of the girls had left school for personal reasons and her roommate needed another girl and lo and behold Dana came along and needed a room.

Dana and her siblings knew that her mother's trial was coming up and that she had hired a top notch defence lawyer, but Dana and her siblings who were suing their mother for all the abuse also had a top notch lawyer. The trial wasn't for at lest 6 months so Dana and her siblings had time to prepare.

Meanwhile, a few weeks later, at the lab, David had returned and was busy with a whole bunch of trace stuff when out of the blue, Henry down the hall from Trace began to laugh.

Curious, the other lab techs walked over to the tox lab to see what Henry was laughing about.

"What is so funny Henry" Archie asked.

"This picture of someone at the hospital. My girlfriend Tammy is a nurse and she took a picture of this dude running like a maniac naked down the hall. She distorted his face so no one could identify him but all in all it is funny"

Hodges felt his face grow warm and he left the Tox lab. Wendy went to follow him but he waved her away. "No Wendy, please just leave me be for now" he said and sat at his computer, his head in his hands.

"Let's unscramble the picture so we can see his face" Mandy said with glee.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Why don't you guys grow up and stop acting like children" Wendy said angrily.

"Take a chill pill Wendy, what is your problem?" Archie asked.

"I don't have a problem. You guys get this picture all distorted of a naked guy and want to identify him. … " she began.

"You know who it is don't you" Mandy said.

"What makes you said that?"

"You are usually with us when it comes to crazy things" Henry told her.

"Well maybe I've grown up and not interested in childish stuff." She said and left Henry's lab.

Hodges was nowhere to be found and when she asked Grissom where Hodges was, he replied that Hodges clocked out early.

Wendy started feeling sick suddenly and made a bee-line for the bathroom. A few minutes later Catherine, who had seen her running down the hall followed her in.

"Wendy?"

Wendy continued to throw up.

"A-Are you ok?"

"I'm coming down with something" she said as she emerged from the stall.

Catherine looked at the young lab tech and smiled. "I think you have what is know as _pregnancy"_ she told her.

Wendy's eyes went wild. "No I can't be. We're not ready. We have Alicia to raise. I can't have a baby." Wendy babbled.

"I'm going to go out on a limb here, but are you _always_ careful?" Catherine asked.

Wendy nodded. "Yes always. We are usually double protected. Both a condom and the pill and just in case I take the morning after pill too!" she said.

Catherine cleared her throat. "Were you careful that time in the hospital?" she asked.

Wendy's jaw dropped. "How, who?"

"I'm a CSI, nothing is hidden from me. Besides, there is a camera in the room."

"Doesn't that violate privacy laws?"

"Yes it does, but the hospital maintains they have the cameras to make sure there are no thefts. After a whole bunch of patient reported money missing they implemented the cameras."

"So again, how did you find out"

"Someone on the staff who took pictures who is close to Henry told me"

Wendy groaned. This is going from bad to worse.

"Did you view the tape?"?

"No. The friend just told me about it It's destroyed now. After 24 hours the tape gets erased."

Wendy breathed a sigh of relief.

Wendy left work that day at the end of shift and went home. She had to prepare herself for how she was gonna tell David.

Wendy found David playing with baby Alicia.

"David, we need to talk"

David scooped up Alicia and put her in the playpen with her book.

"Sounds serious. What is the matter?"

"I've an appointment with my Gynaecologist tomorrow" she began.

David's face drained of all colour.

"What?"

"You remember that night at the hospital when we got frisky …"

"How could I forget it was the best I've had in a very long time"

"And you could have gone on longer if not for that interruption"

David coughed and waved her not to continue with that.

"Sorry. Anyway, I started feeling sick a few days ago and throwing up and thought it was just a bug. But I have a strong suspicion as does Catherine that "

"You're pregnant" he continued.

"That's why I'm going to the Gynaecologist tomorrow" she said.

"If it is true then what are we going to do?"

"We are both making good money correct, we can deal" she said playfully.

David looked at his girlfriend / lover and smiled.

"I wanna get married Wendy. Before we have this baby I wanna walk down the aisle and say our vows. Alicia can be the flower girl!"

Wendy's smile exploded across her face in glee.

"David Hodges you just made me the happiest girl in the world" she said and kissed him hard.

"Wendy Simms, you just made me the most excited man in the entire world" he replied and the two of them continued in their bedroom. Truth be told, if Wendy gotten pregnant on the night in the hospital, then after doing it over and over again for hours and with out protection then it is most likely they would have gotten pregnant that night.

A/N: Yeah I know, another pregnancy story. But the issues that Wendy goes through throughout her pregnancy and marriage is nothing any girl wants to go through. Her mother returns to the story shortly as she is on bail. Wait until she finds out about Wendy's impending marriage And pregnancy


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters.

A/N: First of all thank you all very much for the reviews. I am honestly sorry for not getting back to this fan fiction sooner…I have a lot going on right now.

Anyway that being said – back to the story at hand. Wendy is pregnant with David Hodges' baby. They are also raising David's niece as her parents are in jail. David is not the only one with family issues – Wendy comes from a huge family with a very over controlling / over bearing mother (just for purposes of this fan fiction of course) who is currently awaiting trial for her part in the mental abuse of her daughters and the kidnapping of one of her daughters. Wendy knows she must come clean and tell her parents…as David wants to get married before having the baby.

Wendy was about three months pregnant at this point and still able to work in the lab. Her hours were cut back a little as was her usage of chemicals in the DNA lab. They asked former DNA tech Mia Dickerson to return to the lab on Graveyard to assist Wendy. Mia reluctantly agreed but asked for more money, which Ecklie agreed to.

Wendy arrived at CSI and went to her locker and shoved her purse in it. She hadn't met Mia before and was a little apprehensive about meeting the previous DNA tech. She had heard some things about her that weren't exactly favourable. Mia was a total Germaphobe and preferred to work in total silence while wendy didn't mind hugging her colleagues nor did she mind a little background music or the endless chatter of the various techs.

When Wendy entered her lab, there was Mia working studiously in dead silence. Wendy looked around, some of the stuff in the lab had been moved. Mia didn't bother to look up and continued to analyse some DNA. Wendy took a deep breath.

"Hi you must be Mia, I'm Wendy"

Mia looked up and gave the pretty DNA tech a once over. "You're the one who got stuck with Hodges eh"

Wendy bit her lip. She didn't expect such a rude woman.

"David Hodges is a wonderful man, now if you don't mind, I have to get to work analyzing DNA, please shift over so I can also sit at this table"

The two women stared at each other eye to eye, neither saying a word.

In the Trace lab, David watched his girlfriend defend him to Mia. Back in the day, David had been attracted to Mia, but she blew him off.

Henry, in the tox lab heard his cell phone beep as a text message came in. "Mia and Wendy just met – I can foresee a catfight sometime in the future" It was from Hodges.

Back in the DNA Lab, "Why don't you take lunch dear, there's not much left to do and I'm kind of on a role here, all those chemicals aren't good for your baby"

"Well Mia, Hon, I just got here and my doctor says that I can work with some chemicals, just not all and the ones that you have out here now, I can work with. So why don't you take lunch"

Mia tossed her long hair back. "I am higher ranking than you."

Wendy rolled her eyes and walked out of the lab and right to Gil Grissom's office.

Grissom was on the phone with Sara, who was bedridden due to a high-risk pregnancy. Sara was due within a month.

"Ok calm down Sara, calm down, breathe my dear breathe, you are not going into labour now, it's false labour. I'll be there as soon as I can" he said and they said their goodbyes and he hung up.

"Women!" he muttered before seeing Wendy.

"A-hem, Mr. Grissom can I talk to you for a sec?" she asked.

"Wendy! I didn't see you there. I'm sorry about that _women_ comment" he said.

"Don't worry about it. Uh.. I don't know if I can take much of that Mia person. She was rude and ugh. I'm sorry for tattling, but she's not a pleasant woman!"

Grissom held back a smile. He knew that the two DNA techs would butt heads. Kind of like when Catherine and Sara first met. Truth be told, he wasn't a huge fan of Mia either, but he did try to get other DNA techs from other labs to assist, but they were already overloaded and didn't want to take a graveyard shift. Mia was willing to do it.

"Wendy I am sorry that you and Mia haven't hit it off. Try to get along please."

"I tried, but she told me to go for lunch when I had just arrived!" she said.

Grissom frowned. That wasn't part of the deal. The deal was the two DNA techs work together, Mia had already been on shift for 4 hours when Wendy arrived so Mia should be the one taking a break.

"I'll speak to her Wendy, don't worry.." he was interrupted because the phone rang.

"Grissom" he said and then suddenly paled. "I'll be right there!" and without any other words, he grabbed a jacket and left CSI. As he passed reception he told Judy to take all messages and that he was going to be gone the rest of the shift. Sara was in active labour.

Wendy was on her own. She went back to the DNA lab to find the lab in slight shambles and Mia on the floor.

"Don't move Mia, what the hell happened"

"UH I don't know. I had this liquid underneath the fume hood and next to the hot plate. It was off and …uh My head" she said and passed out.

Wendy yelled for help to which Henry called 911 and Archie and David grabbed blankets and whatever else they could find so they could keep Mia safe from any debris.

The DNA Lab was fine, just a minor clean up was all that needed to be done.

An ambulance came and took Mia away while Conrad Ecklie just began yelling at anyone in his earshot for no real reason. Catherine spoke to him in an _active supervisory_ manner and basically told him to stop yelling at everyone and that she'd head up the investigation as to what happened. Ecklie arranged for a clean up crew to come in and take care of the mess.

Wendy was sent home for the day as the DNA lab was being cleaned up and all active cases that weren't contaminated were moved to another location. Lucky for them the Lab Director Robert Cavallo was visiting a crime lab in New York and had no knowledge of this incident …. Yet.

When she got home, she paid the babysitter and went to check on Alicia. She also checked the voicemail. She had left explicit instructions to the babysitter not to answer the Simms/Hodges home phone and to let it go to Voice mail. Any calls that either Wendy or David would make to the house would be via Cell phone to cell phone.

There were multiple voice messages. One from Wendy's mother who was out on bail. How she ended up on bail is beyond Wendy.

"Wendy I heard the news. What are you going to do about it? You are way too young and inexperienced to be having a baby and what is this nonsense about marrying David Hodges. I will not allow it. You are not marrying that low life. You will be hearing from my lawyers young lady…." Wendy's mother continued babbling both about Wendy's marriage to David and the baby not to mention the _abuse_ case that all the siblings had against their mom.

Wendy sat down, put her head in her hands and started to cry. That's where David found her two hours later…..


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

David found Wendy sitting by the telephone crying.

"Wendy! What's wrong" he said and kneeled down in front of her and clasped her hands"

"My family that is what's wrong. My mom is out on bail, awaiting her trial and she somehow found out about our engagement and baby" she wept.

David looked guilty.

"Oh David you didn't" she exclaimed.

"I did. I announced it in the paper" he said and continued his guilty look.

"We haven't set a date yet. I wanted to sit down and talk to dad about it and I would have wanted to keep mumsy out of it!" she said.

"I was so excited Wendy I'm sorry"

The phone rang. Wendy looked at the caller ID. Alan Simms.

"Hello dad"

"Hi Wendy. First of all I would like to congratulate you on your up coming wedding and your baby"

"Thank you. At least someone cares" she said.

"I know I know. Your mother's voice mail she left was awful"

"You couldn't stop her?"

"She didn't make the call from the house phone, she used her cell."

"Why is she even out on bail? She should be locked up!"

"She has a number one lawyer"

'So do we! Look Dad, what are we going to do? Who are you going to testify for?"

"I'm on your side as well as the other dads. We should have never signed the _sperm donor waiver_. But we never signed away our rights. The paper just said that we would have no say in the girls' up bringing."

"You stood by and actually never intervened when you knew her rules were dumb and very ridiculous"

"If any of us had intervened we would have had that paper shoved in our face that said no intervening in our daughters lives" he said.

"What made you and the others suddenly _man up_" she said sarcastically.

"When the latest incident happened. Dana needing to go on that trip and your mom saying no and when Dana and you were almost kidnapped. Well …" he stopped.

"Look. Mom is a tyrant and I want noting to do with her. She is deranged and I certainly don't want her at my wedding"

"Well hopefully when you get married she'll be in jail" he said. They chatted a little longer but had to break off when the door bell rang and David indicated it was for Wendy.

"Dad call 911" she whispered.

A very irate Marjorie Simms stormed into the Hodges/Simms living room.

"What is going on here Wendy. Why didn't you invite me to your wedding?

"We haven't set a date yet mother" she replied.

"Well you are not marrying this guy. You are marrying a prominent man in our social circle."

Wendy rolled her eyes. "Mother back off, I'm 35 years old and you have no authority as to whom I date or marry. Now if you don't mind. I have to attend to my daughter so leave my home."

Wendy's mother motioned for a man to come into the room. "Sam this is Wendy, my daughter the woman you will marry…after we take care of this pregnancy"

Sam looked like a pro-wrestler with many tattoos, a bald head and goatee. He looked like he was ready to stomp on David (he was at least 1 foot taller)

"Please leave my home or I will have you arrested for trespassing" Said David with as much confidence as he could muster.

"Are you talking to me punk?" he said and glowered at David.

David could see Wendy's face getting redder by the minute.

"You touch either me or Wendy and I will personally eject you from this apartment" David said in a very angry voice.

Sam and Marjorie laughed. "You are such a pussy, Hodges. You have no guts to actually stand up for your woman here. I DARE you to try to kick me out" Sam told him.

Two minutes later the cops came in, headed by Jim Brass and arrested both Sam and Marjorie without incident. This time because of the threats Marjorie was denied bail and Sam was denied bail too only because there was a previous warrant out for his arrest.

Wendy felt movement and looked pained.

"David! I'm losing the baby!" she said.

"Oh Jez no! please god don't let her lose the baby."

An ambulance was called and she was immediately taken to Desert Palm and admitted right away. The nurses were able to stop the premature birth. (she was only 3 months along) with medication.

"She will have to remain in the hospital under 24 hour watch. We will be moving her to intensive care once a bed opens." The nurse said.

"I'll tell our boss at work that she is on mat leave as of now" David said and since Wendy was sleeping, he ducked out and went to the crime lab.

Grissom was sitting at his desk massaging his temples. Sara did not have her baby, it was a false alarm.

"UH Grssom?"

"Yes Hodges, how's Wendy?"

"That's why I'm here. There's been an ordeal and Wendy is under 24 hour watch at the hospital until she has the baby. She almost miscarried today."

Grissom looked at the lab tech with sympathetic eyes. "Oh geez, was it her mother again?"

David nodded and gave him the short version of what happened.

"How's Mia?" David asked.

"She's going to be fine but she does not want to be in the lab while Wendy is there. They did not hit it off. "

"Oh well she's going to be very pleased that Wendy is not returning to the lab for eight months."

Grissom looked at his trace tech. "We fired her. She is not returning. She is not a team player, she was rude to Wendy among other staff so she is not returning. Would you like to take over some DNA duties?"

"Both DNA & Trace? It could get very busy Grissom" he said. "I certainly don't want to let you down, but I don't want to be over loaded especially with Wendy in the hospital. "

Gil had a playful smile on his face. "Sara has expressed some interest in working in the lab. As you know, she has become a little burnt out in the field. How about if she helps you and you two work together."

Hodges nodded. "Ok sounds good, but for how long, she's gonna have a baby …" he said.

Grissom waved his hand. We're using one of the vacant rooms as a daycare centre and hiring a few teachers to run the centre. It will be a very small centre with a limit of six children. Once Wendy has the baby, you can place him or her in the centre. And Alicia is welcome too."

Hodges smiled inwardly. The baby sitter he had hired was leaving anyway as she was going back to school. She had just given her two week notice so hopefully the daycare would be up and running within two weeks.

"To answer your question David. The daycare is opening in a week. Catherine is interviewing teachers as we speak"

David breathed a sigh of relief. Then he felt his cell phone vibrate. He looked at it. GET TO DESERT PALM:STAT.

David bolted from Grissom's office. Once again there was an altercation involving Wendy's family.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

A/N: Warning…. Tragedy strikes the Simms/Hodges family.

Very short chapter.

David rushed to Desert Palm just in time to see the nurses & doctors exit Wendy's room with very sad looks on their faces.

Gingerly David entered his girl friend's room. Wendy had a tear streaked face.

"I am so sorry David. I am so sorry" she said and wept.

David rushed to his girlfriend's side. "We're going to be fine Wendy. We're going to be fine." He said.

"This is the hardest thing for me to do David. I love you, but I need to move out for a while." She said.

David felt like he had been punched in the gut. "Are you breaking up with me?"

Wendy sighed. "Let's just call it _a break_" she said. "I love you and want to spend my life with you, but I need some time to myself. Give me a few months of _Wendy Time_ and I'll be back" she said.

"What about Alicia? We are supposed to go through the adoption in three weeks! I doubt they'll let a single man adopt a female baby!" he said.

Wendy sighed again. "I am so sorry. I just can't stay at this point in my life"

David's eyes narrowed. "Fine. Good bye Wendy. I hope you'll be happy!" he said and stormed out of the hospital room.

He got in his car and put the pedal to the metal and zoomed away with out a carte in the world.

Wendy sobbed uncontrollably in her hospital room. Her mother's lawyer had given her an ultimatum. Dump David or when they go to trial, all sorts of things will be dug up on Wendy and her sisters when the defence cross examines her. Wendy's sisters had a few skeletons in their closet that none of them would want to be questioned about so she had no choice. She knew she had hurt David and hoped he would forgive her.

A/N: Don't worry …. Things will get better for our David & Wendy…. Just be patient….


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five

Wendy went back to work a few weeks after losing her & Hodges' baby. She had moved out of their apartment and into her own. She missed her time with Alicia and also missed Hodges very much, but she had to have this break. After that latest threat, she was afraid of what could possibly come out at trial. Defence lawyer would make it out to look like Wendy and her siblings deserved to be treated like they were treated.

She sat in the break room one day nibbling on her lunch when Mandy stormed into the room.

"Wendy, what has gotten into Hodges?"

"What are you talking about?" she said faking her surprise.

"He bumped into me and was incredibly rude." She said.

Wendy sighed. "We broke up"

Mandy looked at her. "What! Why?"

Wendy shrugged. "I wanted a break."

"Wendy" her friend said and gave her a glare.

Wendy sighed and told Mandy everything.

"Do you love him Wendy?"

"Of course I do. He's the best thing that ever happened to me and also my _only_." She whispered the last word.

Mandy's eyes went wild. _Wow even Henry has had more action that she has!_

"My mom was strict. I am so afraid that stuff will come out at the trial by the defence that will make the others look bad"

"So you're dumping your best friend, your lover, your boyfriend because of that?" Mandy looked incredulous.

Catherine and Sara entered the break room. "What is going on with Hodges Wendy? He's in some kind of horrible mood!"

"Oh haven't you heard they broke up!" Mandy said.

"Why?" demanded the two other women.

Wendy told them.

Catherine gave her younger colleague a pat on the arm. "You two were the perfect couple, you actually changed him Wendy, now he's back to his old sullen self. If stuff comes out at trial, you just fight back! You need to stand up to your mom and her lawyer. They have no right bringing up past issues."

"Yes they do, that's all part of it. The reason we are taking her to trial!" Wendy said and explained everything that had gone on during her life before CSI.

"Your mom abuse you mentally – she had no right to do that. Your dads, they had no right not to stand up to your mom, even if they did sign that _sperm donor_ paper" Sara said.

"Go make up with David, he loves you and his surly attitude is gonna really start to piss every one off again" Catherine said.

Wendy nodded and left the break room. She walked past the trace lab where she saw something she had never seen before. David Hodges was actually crying. His head in his hands he was sobbing.

Softly Wendy knocked on the door and David looked up. He looked away, dried his tears and put on his surliest face. "Whaddya want Simms"

"David I realize I have made a terrible mistake. I didn't mean to hurt you this badly. All I wanted was a little break, so I could think, find myself and figure things out. I love you and always will."

"Been talking to Sara and Catherine" he said without even looking up.

"I told them everything"

"They convinced you to crawl back to me"

"I am not crawling David I am not crawling"

He looked at her but tried to avoid her eyes. "Can I crawl back to you then?"

She looked at him. "What?"

"I am an ass Wendy, I should have been more sensitive to you. You just lost our baby, you are in a battle with your mom. I should have respected you needing space."

Wendy didn't know what to say.

"Will you take me back" she finally said.

David looked at her and replied. "If you'll take me back"

She glanced around and saw that no one was around so she entered the trace lab. She grabbed a hold of her lover and gave him the most intense kiss that she had ever given him (at the workplace)

When they stopped their intense embrace the entire lab, including Gil Grissom and Conrad Ecklie began to clap. Both David and Wendy looked very embarrassed at being caught and she made a beeline for her lab and got right to work. David had to sit down for a few moments as he was a little out of breath and in no condition to _walk _anywhere.

A/N: See I do not disappoint. I would never keep Wendy and David apart for long.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

Wendy and David were officially back together and living in his apartment. The adoption of Alicia was to take place two weeks later. David had managed to push the adoption process an extra two weeks later after explaining that Wendy had just miscarried their baby and needed some time to mend. He didn't get into too much detail. The adoption people agreed that it was fine.

Since the biological parents were in jail, they were strictly on video during the court proceedings. The judge and lawyers asked them questions and questioned Wendy and David and even involved their friends and colleagues at CSI as to what kind of parents they would be. All their friends at CSI attested that they'd be fantastic full time parents. The adoption went through with no strings attached. Alicia was theirs. Wendy and David officially got married at City Hall just an hour before the adoption proceedings, that way Alicia could take both their names. Alicia Simms-Hodges. David and Wendy decided that they would have a bigger wedding at a later date.

The happy couple drove down their street with their daughter in the back seat cooing away and saying mommy and daddy. She was just under a year old now. Suddenly David slammed on the breaks as they saw that their apartment building was cordoned off.

"Stay here Wendy" he said.

David jumped out of the car and ran up to the police officer on duty.

"What's going on?"

"Apartment fire" was the reply.

David gulped inwardly. "Which one?"

"503" he said.

David breathed a sigh of relief. That was not his and Wendy's apartment.

"I'm sorry it's 403" the officer said.

David started screaming. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"

Wendy gathered her daughter in her arms and approached David who was hysterical.

"What is going on here officer"

"Apartment fire #403 as soon as I told him he freaked"

Wendy looked up at the apartment. "What the hell are we gonna do now?"

"Do you have anyone you could stay with?"

Wendy nodded. "Come on Davey, everything will be ok"

David muttered curse words under his breath as he got in the passenger seat, not before buckling his daughter into her car seat. Before driving away, Wendy got on her cell phone and called Gil Grissom.

"Grissom"

"Hi Gil, it's Wendy, I – uh – need a little favour. Someone torched our apartment and we need a place to crash for the night. Are you sure? Thanks"

"Gil said he'd be happy to let us stay with he and Sara for a few weeks."

David breathed a sigh of relief.

Before heading off to Grissom's townhouse. Wendy got out of the car and went to speak to the officer.

"Have the firemen gone to check out the damage yet"

"There's not much left of the apartment. The furniture is torched. We have to investigate if there was any accelerant used. "

Just then a young man came running. "Wendy Wendy"

"Andrew!" she said and hugged her brother.

"Was that your apartment?"

Wendy nodded.

"Do you think mom was involved somehow?"

Wendy gave him a _duh_ look.

Just then three other young men came running, three of her other brothers, Jerry, Roger and Richard.

"Do you have a place to stay?" Jerry asked. "Cuz I'll put you up"

"Ahem" David said clearing his throat.

Wendy introduced him to her brothers.

Roger pulled her aside. "This is the guy you married? What happened to Sam?"

"What the hell are you talking about"

"Mom was going on and on about this guy Sam, he was the one you were supposed to marry Wendy, not this low life" Jerry put in.

"You are starting to sound like her! Don't you start with me" she told her brothers angrily.

"We are just looking out for you. We don't want any one hurting you" Richard added.

Wendy put her hands on her hips. "Look boys, I am a lot older and wiser than you so just stop acting like you're better and more adult than me"

The boys smiled at her maliciously. "Mom told us you'd be all saucy and rude like that so we did what we had to do.

Wendy's face drained of all colour. It was her brothers who were involved in the arson.

"And Wendy, don't even try to collect the insurance. We cancelled it"

"How the hell did you cancel my insurance on David's apartment"

"Easy we pretended we wuz David" said Roger.

Meanwhile, while this altercation was happening, she had pressed 911 on her phone because although she and her brothers grew up with a tyrant of a mom, her mom still treated the boys better than the girls. Her brothers were no better than her mom. The 911 operator had heard EVERYTHING and next thing the boys knew the cops had arrived and surrounded them.

Wendy's brothers pleaded not guilty to arson, even though it was totally inferred on the 911 tape. Their defence was that Wendy married the wrong guy – a low life who was out for sex and nothing else and Wendy was a bad girl for defying her mom.

The boys were convicted of arson and the insurance was reinstated. Because it was proven that one of the brothers had pretended to be David and cancelled the insurance, it was reinstated and they were paid everything they were entitled to. Wendy and David sued each of the brothers for damages and reimbursement for the expenses that the insurance company did not pay. Since their apartment was uninhabitable and the insurance would only pay a certain amount for relocation. Wendy and David sued for 5000 in relocation fees. Reluctantly they paid.

A/N: More to come. My muse is falling asleep and running out of ideas. I'm going to sign off now as I've covered quite a few chapters today. More coming soon, once my muse has more ideas.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

A/N: This is going to be a short chapter as my muse needs inspiration. So after typing out this one, I'm going to watch a few CSI episodes to get some ideas while my muse is on some kind of vacation. (LOL)

Grissom and Sara baby sat Alicia for Wendy and David one day a few weeks later so they could go back to their apartment and see what they could salvage from their apartment. An officer accompanied them to their apartment for safety purposes.

David and Wendy shook their head. "This is worse than I thought" he said as he did a walk through.

Wendy went into what had been the baby's room and looked around. The wallpaper was singed. The plastic mobile had melted. Alicia's crib was obviously unusable. What broke Wendy's heart was the teddy bear that was ruined. The teddy bear that had been given to Alicia by David when his niece was born. Wendy placed the teddy bear carefully in a bag – she knew someone who would be able to _fix it. _It would have to be covered, washed / re-stitched, – basically re-designed. Alicia loved that Teddy.

David and Wendy collected as much as they could from the apartment and then heaved a sigh as they exited. Wendy noticed some men standing across the street from the apartment building and as she focussed she realized it was her brothers… the arsonists who did this. She wondered why they were out of jail, but she ignored them and got in the car with David.

"Let me drive, David. My brothers are watching us." She told him

"No Wendy, I'm driving, you are far too upset"

Wendy sighed and agreed that she was indeed too upset.

Grissom and Sara had moved out of Grissom's old townhouse and into a gated community where there was guards and only one way in. The guards were armed and would not let anyone in, unless they were on the approved list. When Wendy and David moved in with them, they had to get on the special list which allowed them access. Everyone who lived in this gated community had to go through the gate.

They drove into the complex and the guard came out. "Hi David, Hi Wendy. Just to let you know Sara and Grissom went to the hospital. They told me to tell you that Mandy has the baby. "

"Thanks" David said and drove through the gate and down the road to the home.

Wendy followed David inside and they saw that Gil and Sara had left in a haste.

"We have the house to ourselves" observed David.

"We do" replied Wendy. "But we should go to Mandy's to pick up Alicia."

"Wendy I love you so much. I wish that I …" he said and stopped.

Wendy looked puzzled and then saw the blood drain from David's face.

"What?"

David acted with no words. He just took hold of Wendy's hand and they ran upstairs to the bedroom. They climbed the hidden ladder to the attic which is when David made the phone call.

"This is David Hodges. My Wife and I are at Gil Grissom's house where we are living until we find a new home. We just arrived home and just as I happen to look out the window, I saw some prowlers in my bushes. I want you to send someone over now. This is stupid, we live in a gated area! How do people get in?"

"I do apologise Mr. Hodges, but what can I say? I know this is a gated community, but people sneak in, slip someone money to let them in…" the security guard told him.

"So we are not safe you're saying…"

The power suddenly cut out and David and Wendy heard some noises downstairs. They had a sneaky suspicion that it was not Gil or Sara as they were at the hospital and if it was any of their co-workers they would have called first.

Wendy and David stayed still and did not move. They put their phones on vibrate and sent text messages to the others indicating their situation.

David tuned into the web-tv on his cell phone and although he watched on a tiny screen with no sound ,he was able to figure out what was going on. The firefighters were on scene of their apartment building and it showed that the already damaged building was hit again with another fire. The fire Marshall and the district engineer had a quick once over and deemed the building uninhabitable and right then and there decided that it would be torn down.

"Wendy, why do your brothers have it in for you so bad?" David asked.

Wendy shook her head. "Mother has brainwashed them or something! They were never like this in the past"

When they figured the coast was clear, they tiptoed downstairs and with a flashlight, they found some food to eat. They slept on the couch together huddled, not leaving each others side for anything.

The next day, Gil returned home and saw Wendy and David on the couch, their clothes dishevelled and big grins on their face.

"Wake up sleepy heads! " he said.

"Hi Grissom. Did Sara have the baby?" Wendy asked.

"Yes she did, it's a girl. Mom and baby are doing well. The doctor wanted to keep her in longer though as it was a difficult birth."

They continued to chat until someone hurled a rock through their front window.

"Watch out Wendy" the message read.

A/N: Basically a nothing chapter, I know I know. I will put more up shortly once watch a few episodes and get some ideas I can re-work as a Wedges Fic. (LOL)


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Eight

A/N: Summary of events so far: David Hodges & Wendy Simms had been through a lot since they officially became a couple. They adopted Alicia, David's niece because her parents Terry and Mary were in jail. (and will be for a very long time) Also they had been hospitalized because of a hit and run caused by Terry & Mary. They also had to deal with Wendy's over protective and controlling mother who tried to not only ruin Wendy's life and relationships but also that of her other daughters. (it came out that Wendy's mom was mentally abusive who referred to her children's fathers as sperm donors – Wendy is one of 13 children)

Wendy & David's apartment was torched at the direction of Wendy's mother (to entice her to return home) The arsonists were Wendy's younger brothers who were under the direction (and control) of their mother. In the interim while looking for a new place, Wendy and David moved in with Grissom & Sara. But before the arson – Wendy and David were expecting their first child, but unfortunately Wendy lost the baby, causing her to need "Wendy time" and move out. But shortly after she moved back in after getting chastised by her colleagues.

Since this mess happened life had for changed all three Hodges' men's life and their families. The eldest Steve, (who's wife Mary slept with brother Terry and conceived Alicia) took a job at CSI swing shift as a CSI 1, and on the side working with Grissom to author a book on entomology. Terry's wife Nancy meanwhile worked at the lab as a lab tech also on swing. David could see the romance building between Steve and Nancy. Both Steve and Nancy were divorced from their spouses( or at least in process) Since both knew they'd never be with their spouse again, they figured that spending time with each other wouldn't hurt.

One day, at the end of shift, Hodges, knocked on Grissom's door. He and Steve were in a meeting.

"Yes David"

"Uh, I just wanted to let you know that Wendy and I found a place and will be moving out by the end of the month"

Grissom nodded. "Ok thanks"

He and Steve continued their meeting. Later Hodges bumped into Nancy at the CSI day care where they were picking up the babies.

"Hi Dave, Did Steve tell you?"

He looked puzzled. "Tell me what?"

"We're moving in together" she gushed.

David plastered a smile on his face as he signed in to pick up Alicia.

"I'm happy for you"

Nancy crossed her arms. "You don't seem happy" she said.

"Nancy, I'm happy for you. I'm just very tired today. Alicia has a cold and she kept me up last night"

Nancy looked at him and shrugged. "Steve loves me you know" she said and signed out her daughter, thanked the teacher as she was passed Ella's bag.

David picked up Alicia, who had been playing with blocks in the corner.

"C'mon Alicia we're going home now" he said.

"Blocks" she said and pointed.

David smiled and wiped his daughter's nose. He left the daycare and ran into Wendy.

"Why did you tell Grissom we were moving?" she demanded.

"Cuz we are. We got the apartment!"

"Since we hadn't signed the lease yet, they decided to give it to someone else! The manager's son took it. They said they had no choice the son was returning from college and needed a place"

"Great, we'll have to tell Grissom we're gonna be at their house longer"

"Too late, Grissom invited Steve and Nancy and the kids to stay with them until they find a suitable place for their clan"

"I'll make some calls tonight. We still have until the end of the month" David said.

"I'll talk to Mandy, maybe there's an apartment in her building.

David sighed as he drove back to his temporary home.

A/N: Not what I was aiming for – but since I did this chapter while waiting for my commuter train to take me home – I didn't have my other chapters to refer too. Once I get some more inspiration I'll get back on track. I know I've strayed a little…


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty-Nine

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

A/N: Backing up a little bit to where I left Chapter 27 off – a rock had been thrown through the window of Grissom & Sara's house where Wendy & David and their daughter Alicia was staying.

David read the note. "Watch out Wendy" i

David looked at his wife who was shaking in fear. "Why are they doing this to me David? Why can't they just let it go?"

David had no answer to that question. There was very bad relations between Wendy, her brothers and her mother. Wendy's mother Maureen was very controlling and somewhat vicious and would not stop at anything to get her daughter to obey her.

David went to Wendy and comforted her, while Grissom got on the phone with the police.

"What do you mean you can't do anything about it? This is a gated neighbourhood damn it! You are supposed to do background checks on everyone who moves in!" Grissom was saying rather loudly.

"I'm sorry sir, but that policy is unconstitutional and was removed from the rules. It was brought up at the last tenant meeting" the person on the other end of the phone replied.

"Unconstitutional my ass, we are talking about safety of the people living here! We have paid a lot of money for our homes in this gated community plus "condo fees" for the upkeep and security." Grissom continued.

"Sorry sir. It was deemed unconstitutional as I say. Anybody is allowed to move in as long as they have the money."

Grissom grimaced. "Thank you _so_ much for your help" he said and slammed the phone down.

"Sara is not going to be happy" he said.

"Maybe it is time we look for a new place David." Wendy said through sniffles.

David nodded. "Yeah – maybe it is. I love living here but I think it's time we find our own place" he agreed.

Grissom returned to the living room.

"They changed their rules and anybody is allowed to move in here, even undesirables. They said that it is unconstitutional to deny anybody entry to living in this area. As long as they have the money, they are allowed to love here"

"Ok. Well we've been talking and we've decided that it is time we move out. We are going to be looking for a place and hopefully either by the end of this month or next, we will be out. We don't want our working relationship to be strained." David said.

Grissom nodded. "Sara and I may be thinking about moving out as well. This rock through the window is very scary. What if we were feeding the baby! It could have scared her or injured her."

Wendy and David nodded. "Let's clean up this mess and look for apartments."

While Grissom & David cleaned up the broken window pieces, Wendy went to tend to Alicia who was fussing in her crib. At ten months, she was eager for her supper an was babbling on about cereal.

A/N: Ok – this one was short, but it fit in perfectly. (it should have been chapter 28 and chapter 28 should have been chapter 29. But anyway – the story will continue where chapter 28 stopped. (Steve & Nancy moving in with Grissom & Sara at the end of the month & David and Wendy moving into their own apartment. – I haven't established if Sara & Grissom actually move out of their home yet as Grissom hasn't talked to Sara about it.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI or the characters.

WARNING: This chapter contains violence & assault (not explicit, but discriptions of the aftermath)

Wendy and David managed to find a suitable apartment near work before the end of the month and so after they moved out, Steve & Nancy and their kids moved in.

Grissom & Sara were pleased to have the new tenants at their home as their house was big and the extra income would help them out as Sara was on maternity leave and they still had bills to pay.

Since the whole ordeal with the arson, Wendy and David were afraid that Wendy's brothers would arson their home again, or something worse. So they moved in during the evening hours and had the LVPD watching – in case Wendy's brothers were around.

"Wendy, David, you can't go around living in fear" Jim Brass told them as they brought in the last of the boxes.

"Jim, I know that, but they are capable of anything. Look at the arson at the last apartment! They destroyed not only our home, but the homes of other tenants. My brothers are tyrants who are brainwashed by our mother – end of story" Wendy said.

Jim looked at Wendy and David with sorrow. He didn't have anything to reply as they were right. Wendy's brothers would stop at nothing.

"Can't you arrest them or lock them up or something?" asked Wendy.

"They are out on bail pending trial, they have a top-notch lawyer who is somewhat corrupt we think" David added.

"Corrupt how?" Jim asked.

"They should be in jail and denied bail Jim. They set fire to our apartment building and the bail was set at 500 because they are like this (crosses fingers) with the judge involved."

Jim frowned. "That judge should excuse himself from the case if he knows the defendants."

"My brothers, though young have power and clout in this town because of my mom who is a very tough woman and would stop at nothing to keep her precious sons out of jail"

Suddenly there was banging on the apartment door. The three adults jumped. "Who is it?"

"Dana, let me in!" she said.

Jim went to the door, his hand on his gun and opened it a little bit. Sure enough it was Dana.

The sight of Dana, her clothes torn (and partially missing) and the blood and bruises made Wendy throw up right there in the living room.

Silently David cleaned up the mess and Wendy went to her sister and guided her to the couch.

"What happened Dana?"

"Mom found out about my boyfriend and sicked the boys in him who then beat me up." She replied.

"We're you …" Wendy began.

Tears began to form in Dana's eyes but she didn't respond.

Wendy looked at Jim. "Do something about this Jim. I don't want to hear that one of my sisters has been hospitalized or on the brink of death because of those horrid people.

Jim got on his radio and made the call. Dana needed to go to the hospital for an S.A.E. He also wanted the brothers arrested for assault and possible rape.

At Marjorie Simms home, her sons Andrew, Jerry, Roger and Richard were there too talking to her. The other sons were somewhere else and not part of this conversation.

"You did what?" Marjorie said to her sons.

"We did exactly what you told us. We went to Dana's dorm room and caught her with her boyfriend. They claimed to be studying, but ya right! Then we asked her nicely to come with us and she refused." Richard said.

"So you beat her up?" Marjorie asked

"The boyfriend too" Jerry added.

"Wanna see a picture" Roger asked.

Marjorie was starting to feel sick to her stomach. "Y-yeah"

The boys showed her the picture of a beat up Dana.

"Did one of you v-violate her?? Your own sister?" demanded Marjorie.

None of the boys responded.

Marjorie knew she was in deep trouble. After her boys reported that incident involving the arson and Wendy's apartment – which she didn't believe they were involved in – but she was becoming a little fearful that her boys actions were escalating. They were very rude to any of the girls who were living at the house. (the girls moved back in with Marjorie at her insistence & the girls' fathers had no recourse because of the big-wig lawyer)

"Boys, I never told you to torch Wendy and David's apartment. I never told you to beat up Dana or her boyfriend. I did not approve of them alone together because of my beliefs, but they were studying! "Marjorie said.

Roger frowned. "Interesting turn of events here mom, you liar. You told us you wanted Wendy away from that David and with Sam so we tried our best to punish Wendy for disobeying! "

"Boys! I certainly did tell you to violate your sister!!" she said getting up from her seat.

Three minutes later the cops busted the door to Marjorie's house down. As the boys scattered out the doors or windows they were caught one by one because LVPD had the house surrounded with cops with guns who were not afraid to use them.

Marjorie was also arrested – but she did not try to escape she just went with the cops.

"What the hell have I done?" she muttered to herself as her other children gathered on the front lawn staring at the police cars driving away.

Marjorie's minor children were all herded into a car to be taken to temporary foster care.

A/N: interesting turn of events…


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One

A/N: continues from previous chapter. Wendy's brothers & mother were arrested…

When Wendy received the call, she was feeding Alicia so David answered the phone.

"Hello"

"May I speak to Wendy please" said a unfamiliar voice.

"She's feeding the baby; may I tell her who is calling?"

"It's her brother Jakob" he replied.

"One moment" he said and put Jakob on hold.

"Wendy it's your brother Jakob on the phone" he said

Wendy looked confused. 'Jakob is out of the country covering some big international story David."

"Well he's back in the USA now"

Wendy handed Alicia to David and took the call

"Jakob?" she asked.

"Hi Wendy, uh there's been an issue"

"Where are you calling from Jakob?" she asked.

"LVPD, Andrew, Roger, Jerry and Richard and mom have been arrested"

Wendy almost dropped the phone. "Really?" she said trying not to sound elated.

"You sound almost happy" Jakob said sarcastically.

"Jakob, you have no idea what they did to us while you were absent for the past god knows how long" she said irritably.

"No I don't know, I was only told their side. Apparently a false charge of assault and rape regarding Dana"

"It was not false. They also set fire my husband and my apartment" she said.

"Well, there is going to be a preliminary hearing and every family member is needed in court tomorrow morning 9:00am" Jakob said.

"Tomorrow at nine!" she exclaimed.

"It's only a prelim, the real trial is not for a few weeks. The judge is fast tracking the trial."

"Ok I'll be there tomorrow" she said and hung up.

Wendy's shoulders sagged. Everything is going to come out about the abuse and the fire and the rock and more." She said.

"This is only the prelim. There will be plenty of time to gather all the evidence you have to testify against them." David told her.

"I am scared David"

"I understand you're scared and I know why, but is there something that you are not telling me that you're afraid I'll hear in court?"

"I'm just afraid of what the defense lawyers will ask about our sex life" she said.

"That is not their business to ask!" David said.

"This trial is about abuse and the like and mom's rules are going to come out and the lawyers are going to ask if I obeyed or disobeyed …" she said.

"They are not going to need detail Wendy"

"They subpoenaed the nurses at the hospital" she said as she read the email that Jakob sent which referred to everyone that is going to be at the prelim.

It took a moment for David to make the connection. "Oh no! " he said.

Meanwhile at Wendy's sister Amanda's house. Amanda was 34 years old, married with no children studying law. She lived in Las Vegas near Wendy, but the two girls rarely saw each other because of their busy lives. She was sitting watching TV when she got the call from Jakob.

"Hello"

"Hi Amanda" said the voice.

"Who is this? Don't you realize it is late?"

"Amanda, it's eight thirty"

"Whatever. Who are you and what do you want?"

"It's your brother Jakob, and I've been asked to pass on a message to you and the other siblings. Andrew Jerry Roger and Richard and mom have been arrested. Their prelims are tomorrow. You are to be at the courthouse by nine O'clock"

"What are you talking about Jakob. Why haven't I been informed before now?"

"Where have you been Amanda! I've heard about the ongoing issue between our mom, bothers and their arrest and I wasn't even living in the country. I mean, you're a lawyer!" he said.

Amanda didn't reply about that. "I'll be there tomorrow morning" she said and hung up.

The next call that Jakob had to make was to eighteen year old Emily who was living in Canada attending the University of Toronto. She had received a scholarship to attend and she had friends who offered her a place to stay with if she'd cook some of the meals, clean the house and do odd jobs like that. Since she was desperate to leave her mom's house, she jumped at the chance.

Jakob hesitated before calling Emily, it was now 9 o'clock L.V. time, which made it midnight Toronto time. Jakob shrugged and dialed the number anyway. Emily was gong to miss the prelim, but at least she'd know about the trial coming in two weeks.

"Hello" said a groggy voice.

"Hi, sorry to call so late, but it's an emergency, can I please speak with Emily?"

"One moment"

Two minutes later Emily picked up the extension.

"Who is this and why are you calling at midnight?"

"Emily it's Jakob, look mom and the boys have been arrested. The prelim is tomorrow. I know you won't make it but the trial is in a few weeks. You are requested to be here. You'll receive a subpoena in the mail." Jakob told her.

Emily was wide awake now. "Details" she said.

Jakob gave Emily the details he knew about. Emily told him she had heard a little about the arrests and the arson but not much as it wasn't much of a story up here in Canada.

Jakob hung up with Emily and sighed. The other siblings Katrina, Dana Christine , Cindy , William already knew about the case as they were either living at home durng the whole ordeal or in Dana's case, was one of the complainants.

a/n: More drama coming up. The court case comes up in a chapter or two.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty-Two

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI.

Back at CSI. None of their collegues at CSI knew about the prelim or trial of Wendy's siblings and mom, that is until one CSI opened his big mouth.

It was a half hour before shift and the group was assembled in the break room. They were nibbling on a snack and Grissom was discussing the assignments for the night.

"Where's Greg?" Grissom asked.

No one had seen him. Wendy & Hodges were about to tell the others what was going on, but they were interrupted.

"Wendy, Hodges, what are you doing here, weren't you supposed to be in court?" Greg asked.

Catherine, Grissom ,Sara, Warrick and Nick all turned to look at Hodges and Wendy then to Greg.

"What are you talking about Greg?" asked Grissom.

"Shut up now Sanders" sad David gritting his teeth.

"Y-you haven't told them?" Greg said looking guilty.

"We were about to" Wendy said angrly.

"Tell us please David" Sara sad.

"Wendy's mom and brothers were arrested last night. You are all aware of the issues Wendy has gone through in the past and what she and I have gone through in the last little while. Well there is going to be a prelim later today and in a few weeks the trials. We're going to need time off." David began.

Conrad Ecklie, the Assistant Lab director was walking by and heard "time off" That's all he heard and so he stopped and went into the break room.

"No you may not have any more time off. You take any more time off for any reason and you're fired!"

"Conrad, this is not something we can skip" began David.

"I am the assistant lab director Hodges and what I say goes"

"You have no idea why we need this time do you? We need it because Wendy's mom and brothers were arrested and their prelims are later this morning and the trial is in a few weeks. That is obligatory to attend, if we don't we could go to jail." David said with assertiveness.

Conrad grunted an apology for getting so rude and left.

"Are we going to be subpoenaed too?" asked Sara.

"Probably at some point during the trial" replied Wendy.

"Great, I'll have to prepare something" she said.

Wendy and Hodges left CSI a few minutes later and headed to the prelim. They were not expecting the amount of people that were there to be there. Roger (27)) Richard (21) Andrew (25) Jerry (26) and their mom were all sitting in the front row waiting to be called. Their lawyers did not allow them to talk to each other.

Wendy entered the courtroom and identified herself and David to the clerk, who pointed them to seats. Wendy gave a half wave to her sister Amanda and to her surprise Emily, who managed to catch a red-eye flight from Toronto to Vegas late the night before.

"Ok come to order, we will begin as soon as our late comers find a seat"

Once everyone was seated, the judge began the prelim. He started with Marjorie.

A/N: Marjorie's prelim will follow as will the others n separate chapters. As I do not want to bore my readers, The prelim chapters will be rather short. Then after the prelim chapters, I'll get into the trial chapter. For that part, I'll have one chapter dealing with each individual defendant. That's all for now, I just need to take a break and jot down some ideas.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty-Three

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI

Wendy and her siblings, Marjorie is their mother

Albert Simms- Wendy (35)

Stephen Walkie- Amanda (34) Andrew (25) Jerry (26)

Alex Gilbert - Roger (27),Jakob (20) Richard (21)

Robert Snow - Katrina,(17) Emily (18) Dana (19)

Alan McCarty– Christine (14) Cindy (15) William (16)

* * *

Marjorie took the stand. She looked very stoic and reserved not to mention calm. It was as if she thought she was actually going to win this prelim and all charges dropped. She gave a thumbs up to her lawyer who did not return the gesture.

"Come to order. This is the preliminary hearing of Marjorie Simms. We will have breaks in between but we will also have the preliminary hearing of Roger, Richard, Andrew and Jerry who are also charged." The judge began. "First of all could the defendant please state her name for the record?"

"Marjorie Ann Simms"

"Thank you. Council for the defendant may begin"

Marjorie's lawyer began asking questions about how she raised her children and why none of the boys fathers were in court.

"They were not husband material, all I wanted was sperm donors not fathers" she replied.

"Could that be why they're the way they are today" the lawyer replied.

"I thought you were defending me Daniel" Marjorie said through gritted teeth.

Daniel, the lawyer looked at his client. "After reading more about this case, I can't defend you." He sad.

"Daniel, you are my lawyer, I pay you to defend me" she said.

"Marjorie you made your daughters lives horrific! I know all the antics you did with your daughters growing up."

"Rules are rules and I _own_ my children" she said.

"Marjorie, you directed your four co-defendants to burn your daughter Wendy's apartment and force them out. Did you think Wendy would run back to mommy?"

Marjorie glared at him. "She was marrying someone I did not approve of and since I am her mother, I am in charge of her life so I told my sons to do what was needed to do"

"Marjorie, Wendy is 35 years old. She is a grown woman with a child and a husband and a career"

Marjorie snorted. "Career? She's a lowly DNA tech. She should have been something much more to what I had chosen for her"

"And what was that?"

"Doctor. At a very early age, I had all my children's careers picked out. And Wendy did not listen to what I demanded so she paid the price." Marjorie shrugged.

The prelim continued with her reluctant lawyer asking questions and when the prosecution came up, he asked a few pertinent questions, but in his mind, the _defense_ lawyer was actually helping him.

The prosecution brought up one last issue to be discussed. "Your daughter Dana, I have the picture of her right here. She looks like she's been beat up and violated. Can you tell me what you know about this"

Marjorie cleared her throat. "Dana is 19, she's a child. She has no business going out with boys or living in dorms at school. We tried to talk to her nicely about this, but she refused to listen. My sons caught her one night alone with a boy. We don't allow that in our religion. My boys beat her and the boyfriend up. No it was not right to go over board, but they did what they needed to do"

"It was proven that she was sexually assaulted" the lawyer said and produced documents.

"I never directed them to assault her" she said.

"I've heard all I need. Marjorie will be remanded into custody until her trial set for two weeks from today.

Marjorie, as she was led from the court room slapped Wendy across the face and then snarled at her. "You'll pay for your deeds"

David hugged her as Wendy rubbed her face, which was bruising.

"I call Roger Gilbert to the stand please. The judge said. Roger stood up from where he had been seated and took the stand.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-Four

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI

"Would the defendant please state his name for the record?" the judge said.

"I am Roger Gilbert, I'm 27."

"Now Mr. Gilbert, why do you have a different last name than the other siblings present and your mom?"

"My mom didn't believe in marriage, she just wanted sperm donors, lots of children and no fathers to take care of them"

The prelim continued with basic questions by the defence regarding his upbringing and how he got along with his siblings.

"You are here because you are accused of burning down your sister's apartment and abuse and other such charges. Is it true you mom directed you to do that?"

Roger looked directly at his older sister. "Yes it is true. My sister is nothing more than a woman. She should be marrying a man her male siblings chose for her. She should be cooking cleaning and that kind of stuff. She should not have the vote nor should she have any kind of freedom." He said.

"Uh Mr. Gilbert you are being a little unreasonable. You certainly don't expect a woman to cater to your every whim and need at the snap of a finger" asked the prosecution.

"I certainly do. My woman knows whose boss. She knows she has no rights as a person. Love, honour and obey." Roger said.

"What was your part in the beating of your sister Dana and her boyfriend?"

"She was disobeying the rules. She's a lowly kid and we do not allow consorting with boys at her age. She disobeyed and began living in the dorms. But when she was caught alone with this boy. We knew we had to act"

"By beating her & the boy up and violating her?"

"I never violated her" replied Roger. "that was not part of the plan"

"I call a surprise witness to the stand. Kathleen Gilbert."

Roger suddenly turned a deep dark violent red as he saw his wife being brought into the court room.

"Mr. Gilbert stay seated or you will be thrown in jail for contempt" the judge warned.

"Ms. Gilbert, please state your name for the record."

"Kathleen Gilbert." She said timidly.

"You are married to Roger?"

"Yes I am and it has been the most horrible two years of my entire life" she said.

"Kathleen I am warning you"

Kathleen turned to Roger. "You have hurt me for the last time. Your honour. I met him while at University. I was studying for my masters degree and I fell in love. Well love is blind, deaf and dumb. Because when I married him. He refused to let me finish my studies. I was over come with love for this man and I figured that I could go back eventually, after we got settled in our new home. That never happened. He kept me pregnant, often forcing himself on me. He works a job as a mechanic 16 hours a day and NEVER helps me with our children. I am 27 years old with five children under the age of five. And 8 1/12 months pregnant!"

"Keep 'em pregnant that's my rule" Roger sneered.

"Thank you Ms. Gilbert, you may step down."

Then the unthinkable happened. As Kathleen walked passed Roger, he stuck his foot out and deliberately tripped her causing her to fall hard. There was a horrific gasp in the gallery as all that was heard was Kathleen's screams and massive blood loss.

Kathleen was taken to the hospital and the judge adjourned the prelim.

When it was reconvened a few hours later, Roger had more to add.

"Ok we're back and Mr. Gilbert you owe this court an apology! "

"Never happen. That woman disgraced herself by flapping her gums and talking negative about me"

The prelim continued and Roger was remanded into custody until his trial.

"Officers take him to his cell, you are to stay in jail until your trial in two weeks."

The judge looked at the gallery after Roger was taken away. "That much violence I don't think he deserves bail. Who knows what he's capable of next!"

"Ok Richard Gilbert please take the stand."


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty-Five

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI

"Would the defendant please state his name for the record?" the judge said.

"I am Richard Gilbert and I am 21" he said.

"Ok so what was your role in this?" his lawyer asked.

"Obeying what my mom and siblings told me" he replied.

"Richard, what education do you have" asked the lawyer.

"High school" he replied.

"Is that why you just followed along with your brothers?"

"You calling me stupid" he demanded.

"Mr. Gilbert that is quite enough!"

Richard didn't reply.

"Why did you and your brothers burn down Wendy and David Hodges apartment."

"Because Wendy did not listen to us. She was brought up in a strict home where she had no freedom. And look who she marries!" he said.

"What your sister does with her life is nobody's business Mr. Gilbert. You should understand that. I mean Wendy is 35 and you're 21."

"I am still a man." Richard boasted. "And men are still considered better than women"

The lawyer rolled his eyes. "Wendy is a highly educated woman who is significantly older than you and you think you're better than her?"

Richard looked at the lawyer. "My sixteen year old brother is better than her. Why – duh she's a woman and he's a man"

"Where are you getting these dumb notions that women are less important than men?"

"My mother. Even though she is a woman She taught me this." He said.

"I've asked your mom and brother this question, so I'll ask you too. What was your role in the beating of Dana and her boyfriend?"

"Yeah I was part of it. Dana is a girl who is getting her jollies at school where she certainly does not belong. We have a boy picked out for her and she consorts with the boy she was caught with?? We did what we had to do. Dana just needs to know her place"

The prelim continued and many more questions asked about how Wendy was treated in her younger days.

"Well even though I was a lot younger than her. My brothers informed me about what the rules were. Wendy and the other girls could not live in dorms or go out with a boy unless mom chaperoned. This went on well into the girls' 20's. Wendy never got any action because the boys ostracized her because of mom"

"Thank you for sharing that" the judge said sarcastically. "Richard Gilbert is remanded into custody until trial in two weeks.

The judge looked through the next paper. "Andrew Walkie please take the stand."


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter Thirty-Six

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI

"Would the defendant please state his name for the record?" the judge said.

"I am Andrew Walkie and I'm 26"

"What was your contribution to this issue at hand?" the lawyer asked.

Andrew shrugged. "I have the same beliefs as my brothers. What Wendy did by refusing to marry Sam, the man mom chose for her was one of the worst things she could have done. Now Sam won't even do business with the family. He was a prominent member of the community who we sought a lot of business from and now he refuses to do business with us. It is Wendy's fault and she should pay for that!"

"Sam is not my type. He is tattooed from head to toe, a skinhead and very angry looking at all times. He is not the kind of man I would ever be interested in" Wendy said standing up suddenly.

"Shut up you wench you are not allowed to speak" snarled Andrew.

Wendy shook her head. Andrew was only 10 years younger her and at one point sympathized with what her mom made her go through. When Wendy was 18 and Andrew 8, Wendy was attending university and commuting two hours one way (because her mom refused to let her live on campus. Andrew was very sympathetic to her plight.

"Andrew, what happened, you were very sympathetic towards me at one point, one of the only brothers who was"

"I grew up Wendy and I understood where a man stands and a woman stands in this world. And you female siblings are way under us men" Andrew retorted.

The judge and lawyers sighed.

More questions were asked in regard to the upbringing and the reasoning for the arson.

"Enough of the arson talk. I am sick and tired of it. Wendy disobeyed the men so she paid the consequences." Andrew said with a snarl.

"You also forced all the other tenants out of their homes too. Was that part of your plan?" the lawyer asked.

Andrew shrugged. "Collateral damage. As I see it, those tenants should go after Wendy and David not me. She disobeyed direct orders so she is in the wrong"

"You have no heart or sympathy Andrew" the lawyer told him.

"I'm a man. I give orders and I expect to be obeyed. Mom is an exception to the rule though"

"Now what was your role in Dana's beating?"

"Following the orders of my mom. She told us if she finds my sister with a boy unchaperoned to deal with it. We dealt with it the way Dana deserved."

"Ok. Andrew is remanded into custody until his trial in two weeks. Jerry Walkie please take the stand.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI

"Would the defendant please state his name for the record?" the judge said.

"I am Jerry Walkie and I am 26."

"We've been here in this courtroom all day. What do you have to say for yourself" the lawyer asked.

"Well my sisters knew their role from very early on. I watched the girls grow up even though I was younger than Wendy. But they all knew their role in society. Attend to mens needs, give him all the babies and sex he wanted. Cook, clean and do the womans work. The men are to watch sports, go out with friends and have fun. "

"What do you have to say about the beating of Dana?"

"She was insubordinate. She disobeyed and was in the company of a boy alone. She knew the rules. Mom only gave in to her living in dorms because she promised not to be alone with a boy. What she did was wrong and an embarrassment to our family"

"You and your brothers beat her up and someone violated her!" the lawyer told him.

"She's my sister. I'm not that crazy! None of us touched her in that way!"

"The results of her exam came back that she had sex within the last 12 hours!" the lawyer said.

"Must have been that boyfriend that did it." Said Jerry.

"I call Dana Snow to the stand" the lawyer said.

A bruised and battered Dana entered the courtroom.

"I'm Dana Snow, I am the _half_-sister of the defendants. These four brothers of mine not only beat me up, but that of my husband George. George and I have been married for two weeks now." She began.

The gallery gasped at the revelation.

"George is still in the hospital because my brothers beat him so severely that he has brain damage!" Dana said and began to cry.

Jerry snorted and Dana lost her composure.

"I hate every one of you brothers and some of my sisters for not protecting me. I do thank Wendy because she one of the only ones who did protect me. But where were the others? Where was Amanda? Why the hell did she turn me away when I so desperately needed her help. I want to see these four siblings and my mother jailed for as long as possible because they certainly do not deserve to be out in society."

"Enough of these crocodile tears Dana, stop with your attitude. You knew that mom had rules" Jerry said condescendingly.

Dana gave her brother the finger and swore at him then apologised to the judge for her outburst.

"Jerry will be remanded into custody until the trial in two weeks. Court is adjourned.

A/N: Ok so these last few chapters hopefully weren't too boring. Since the "trial" isn't until two weeks, i'm going to move away from that part of the story line for a few chapters and focus on the story at hand - a romance / relationship we call WEDGES. Some of chapters may be a little smutty (implied as i can't write actual smut scenes) :)


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI.

A/N: So Wendy's mom and four of her brothers had their preliminary hearings for the arson of Wendy and David's apartment and the beating of Dana and her boyfriend. Not of mention other such crimes. The trials are going to be in two weeks.

Things are as normal as possible at CSI. Sara has taken some maternity leave to care for her newborn baby which she and Grissom named Annie. Grissom was spending more time away from CSI and helping Sara which prompted Ecklie to promote Catherine to acting Supervisor. Catherine tended to let her new role go to her head.

"Wendy" Catherine barked.

"Yes Catherine what can I do for you?" Wendy asked looking up from her DNA samples.

"I requested those samples analyzed hours ago, what is taking so long?"

"I have only two hands Catherine, I have been working on these samples, and those and those" she said pointing to the various samples that had been placed on her table.

"Didn't you ever learn to prioritize your work? When I say I need the work done I don't mean tomorrow" she said.

Wendy put her hands on her hips. "Catherine, I am going as fast and diligently as possible. In case you don't know – some of the samples I've tested don't have a match. " she said.

"Don't give me excuses Wendy just get the work done. Oh and Hodges, I know you're in love with your wife here, but stop staring at her ass and get to work" Catherine left the DNA lab with a flaunt.

The other lab techs and CSIs stared at Catherine in awe. "What is her problem." Mandy Webster asked. She yelled at me because I told her the fingerprints on this piece of evidence weren't in the database. She acted like it was my fault!"

Henry Andrews shook his head. "Ever since she took over as acting supervisor, she's become overbearing" he said in a whisper.

Archie came into the DNA lab with a sour look on his face. "Catherine just yelled at me and kicked me out of my own lab. " he said.

"This is getting ridiculous!" Added Bobby Dawson, the ballistics tech, who had overheard the entire conversation.

"What did she do to you Bobby?"

"She told me I wasn't analyzing the bullet correctly" he said.

Nick & Warrick saw the lab techs standing around in the DNA lab talking and went to investigate.

"Guys, if Catherine catches you standing around, heads will roll" Nick cautioned.

"Well someone has to knock her off her pedestal! " Said Mandy.

Warrick sighed. "What did she do?"

One by one the lab techs told Nick and Warrick what she had done to anger each of them. Both CSIs knew that all the lab techs were very easy to get along with and normally they never complain, so this was a very legitimate complaint. Across the hall in the trace lab, Catherine was giving David Hodges hell for something. The lab techs and CSI stopped their conversation and watched what David Hodges would do in response to Catherine's tirade.

"Catherine please stop yelling at me!" He said in a very controlled voice.

"I would stop yelling at you if you would just do your job Hodges."

"Catherine, I am doing my job. I have analyzed the items on my table and was just about to come bring them to you when you came in here and started screaming at me."

Catherine was silent.

"I find your attitude revolting. Ever since you were promoted to acting supervisor you've been berating all of your colleagues. I have tried so hard not to retort something back to you but even I have my limits…." He said

"Hodges don't.." she began but Hodges interrupted. "Stop interrupting me Catherine. I am a human being who needs to be treated with respect. All you have done to us in the last little while is yell and scream and that is unprofessional and uncalled for. You always seem to do it when Ecklie or Cavallo aren't around. Are you afraid they will admonish you for screaming at your _underlings??_"

Hodges knew he was pushing the envelope a little.

Meanwhile Ecklie and Cavallo had come out of Ecklie's office and overheard some of the conversation between Hodges and Catherine. They did hear Catherine yelling at Hodges and his reply.

"Maybe promoting Catherine was not a good idea." Ecklie said.

Cavallo nodded. "She's becoming very overbearing and rude. I've talked to some of the others in the last day or so and they've mentioned her tirades"

"Uh we better intervene before David loses his composure" Ecklie said as he noticed the Trace tech's face getting a mottled red.

"What the hell is going on here?" Cavallo demanded.

"Oh nothing. I was just getting my trace evidence from Hodges here" she said with a fake smile.

David Hodges snorted.

"What was that about Hodges?" Ecklie asked.

"She was berating me for nothing" he replied and explained the issue at hand.

"I know everything" Ecklie said and nodded to Catherine. "Ms. Willows, please come with me, we need to talk."

With a glare at Hodges, Catherine left with Ecklie and Cavallo.

Hodges looked towards the DNA lab, where the remaining techs and Nick & Warrick were standing and expelled the breath he had been holding in.

Then they all went back to their respective labs or assignments they were working on. In Nick and Warrick's case, they gathered their evidence from the labs and went to the layout room to discuss and try to solve the case.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty-Nine Chapter Thirty-Nine

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI

Warning: Minor smut scene in this chapter - but involving who??

Catherine came out of Ecklie's office with her head down. She immediately went to her locker, gathered her purse and left. She didn't even say good bye to Judy, the receptionist.

"What's with Catherine?" Judy asked Greg who had followed Catherine from the locker room.

"I don't know. I saw her in the locker room and said Hi to her but she ignored me and slammed her locker shut and left." He said.

"Catherine has been put on suspension for a couple of days to cool down. She has been getting way too big for her britches, so we've ordered her two days of counselling." Said Ecklie. "I'm putting Nick Stokes in charge"

At Catherine's home…..

"They can't do this to me" she said aloud. "_Too big for my britches _they told me. I was not being too big for my britches! I was acting supervisor and acting accordingly." She said.

"Actually Cath, you weren't" said a new voice.

Catherine looked toward the voice. It was that of her boyfriend, lover and colleague Warrick Brown.

"What are you talking about Warrick?" She demanded.

"Cath, you yelled at everyone. It was not pleasant to work for you in that manner" he said and cautiously approached.

"Are you asking for me to cry!" she said angrily.

"Somebody had to stand up to you and obviously Hodges did the deed" Warrick said as he sat down beside her on the couch.

"I'd fire Hodges in a minute for what he did to me" she said.

"Catherine, Hodges did nothing but his job. He stood up to you in a very assertive and manly manner" Warrick told her as he sat even closer to his girlfriend.

Catherine's shoulder sagged as she let her body fall into the arms of Warrick Brown. Warrick slowly kissed her and Catherine obliged him and shortly thereafter, their clothing was strewn all over the living room and they were totally into each other when Lindsey came home.

Lindsey turned the lock with her key and entered the foyer of the house She dropped her book bag on the floor and began calling for Catherine. Catherine of course did not answer. All Lindsey heard were groans and moans which grossed her out.

"Aw Jeez mom!" she muttered and continued to try to locate her mom.

Lindsey did find Catherine and Warrick totally wrapped in each other on the couch.

"MY EYES!" she screamed and ran to her bedroom.

Catherine and Warrick untangled themselves and got dressed.

"UH I'd better go talk to Lindsey" said Catherine.

"I'll see you at work in a few days" he replied and walked out the door. Catherine noticed Warrick walked with a slight limp. She smiled at the acrobatics they had tried earlier which resulted in Warrick's limp.

A/N: A slight break from WEDGES and all the angst. Please review!


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter Forty

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI

Two weeks had passed and Wendy's mom & siblings were ready for their trials. To speed up the proceedings, all five would be tried at the same time. The prosecution was basically out for blood after what had come out in the prelims and from all the evidence given by the witnesses. The only people who were to take the stand in these proceedings was the actual defendants. The witnesses were already questioned by both defence and prosecution and their answers documented. If a question did arise which needed an answer from a witness, then it would be addressed.

"First of all we heard in the preliminary hearings that Marjorie Simms ruled her home with an iron fist. Had 13 children with 5 different men who signed away their parental rights. Marjorie treated the boys better than the girls and therefore the boys were brought up to disrespect not only their sisters, but other women as well. The only sibling not _brainwashed_ was 16 year old William, the youngest of the boys." The lawyer began.

"Marjorie Simms, why did you order your sons to beat up Dana?" the lawyer asked.

"She was being a slut" Marjorie replied.

"Ms. Simms behave please." The judge admonished.

"Our religion states that no girl be in the company of a boy alone" said Marjorie.

"What religion is this?" the lawyer asked.

"My religion. My rules" Marjorie said.

"But it is ok for your sons to be alone with a girl"

"Men and women are totally different species. Men were on this world to procreate and women to serve" Marjorie told him.

"You are living in a different world and need to be put in jail for a very long time if you think that ordering your sons to beat up your daughter or setting your other daughters home on fire is allowed in society" the lawyer said.

"My children disobeyed so they face the consequences" Marjorie said.

They continued with her trial and then went on with Roger's.

"Now Roger, you admit to setting your sister Wendy's home on fire and being part of the beating of your sister correct"

"Yep and I'd do it again." He said. "they disobeyed mom's rules and they were punished accordingly"

"You are a horrible man for saying that" muttered the lawyer.

Roger shrugged. "Rules are rules and they disobeyed. Any woman who disobeys or gets in my way, gets dealt with MY WAY" he said.

"You beat up your sister's husband so severely he is in the hospital with Brain damage and my not even recover entirely"

"He was having sex with my sister."

"They are married so you have no say in if your sister has sex or not" said the lawyer.

"She's 19, she's a baby. She should not be having sex until we tell her she's allowed" Roger said.

They continued with his trial and Richard was up next.

"Ok Richard explain your part in this." Said the lawyer. He was getting a little bored as each sibling was reiterating what they had said in the prelim. He was hoping for a slip up.

"Everything my brother said is correct."

"Ok, you think that women are nothing but baby makers and need to obey their man. Why only Dana and Wendy? What happened to your other siblings?"

"Amanda was living in another state away from us. No matter how hard we tried we couldn't get her fired from her job and order her back home. Emily was 18 and living out of the country and we tried to block her from getting into the University of her choice, but obviously she had a lot of people on her side who _lied_ for her to get her in school. Christine, Katrina and Cindy, well they are good little girls and obey our rules as they are too young for the outlandish behaviour of their older sisters."

The lawyer looked at all the siblings and sighed. Christine, Katrina and Cindy were all dressed in long dresses and head coverings and looking like they were out of a 1800's novel. He shook his head, these girls are going to need therapy. The other boy 16 year old William sat with the girls, as far away from his brothers as he could. The final sibling Jakob sat beside him holding his hand in comfort. Jakob was never part of any of the abuse as he is a journalist living in different countries. He was shocked when he had learned about the allegations.

Andrew was called up next.

"I stand by what you call my wrongdoing as Dana and Wendy were bad little girls. They disobeyed the rules and well we had to do something to save the family reputation."

"By burning down their apartment?" the judge said incredulously.

"Y'see if we burned them out, then we figured that Wendy would come home to where she belonged and marry Sam the man mom picked for her. Plain and simple."

"The beating of Dana?"

"How many times do we have to reiterate it? Dana was alone with her _boyfriend_ and we do not allow that."

"George is the father of my child" said Dana suddenly. "and because of you guys, my child may never have a father!"

The court room was silent.

The judge then cleared his throat but overheard the mutterings of Marjorie to her son/partner in crime. "_Get someone to take care of this bastard child and George" _

Marjorie was put in jail for that death threat right then and there. The judge ordered the police to come take her away and book her and throw her in jail.

"Anyone who speaks out of turn will have more charges brought against them. Do I make myself clear"

No one spoke they all just nodded.

Finally the last brother was called up. Jerry took the stand.

"Defend yourself" the judge said.

Jerry remained silent and stared at the gallery.

"Mr. Walkie are you going to defend yourself for your actions?"

Jerry did not answer, he remained silent.

"If Mr. Walkie does not intend to speak, then I'll take that as a plea of guilt and remand him into custody until it is decided on how much jail time he will serve."

Jerry still refused to speak. His eyes remained cold and glassy and staring intently at Wendy.

"Officers take him away. I will go to my chambers and make a decision regarding these defendants," the judge banged his gavel down hard.

The gallery dispersed as Jerry was shackled and taken away.

CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI

A Week later…

This is the case of Marjorie Simms, Roger Gilbert Richard Gilbert

Andrew Walkie ,and Jerry Walkie. Bring the defendants in please.

The five of them were escorted in the courtroom all dressed in prisoner's clothes, cuffs on their hands and shackles on their legs. They all sat in the prisoner's box with stoic, cold looks on their faces.

"First I would like to say, that this is one of the worst cases I have had to try in my 25 years as a judge. You all disgust me and after hearing from your family and your own testimony, first of all you are all going to be getting intense therapy for your actions and you will spend the next 25 years each locked up in a maximum security jail in solitary. You will be allowed 2 hours of interaction with other cell mates, but that is all. You will pay for your deeds. If you have not already paid ,you will be paying for your sister Dana's medical bills and her husbands bills. I found out that George is not doing well at all and may not survive. You will be paying for Wendy and David's bills because I have found out that you have paid a little, but not all that you were sued for. Also you will be paying for the other tenants in their old building to be housed else ware. Do you have anything to say to your family?" the judge stated.

None of the prisoners replied and so they were escorted out of the courtroom and into the vehicles to transport them to the jail where they would be spending the next 25 years.

"I will NOT be filing an appeal. Your honour, this was the worst case I've ever had to defend and if you didn't notice, I didn't do much defending" the defence lawyer said.

"Maybe you should switch to prosecution, pays better" the prosecutor quipped and he looked at Wendy and her family.

A/N: That's the end of this particular storyline... for now. More to come involving "WEDGES"


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter Forty-One

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI

A month had passed since the trial that sent Wendy's mom and brothers to jail. It was also a time for celebration. Wendy and David's daughter Alicia was turning one year old and they were trying to organize a little birthday celebration for her.

"Steve and Nancy are coming, I already invited them." Said Wendy. "Nancy said she's looking forward to it"

Hodges looked up from diapering Alicia. "How does she look?" he asked.

"Pregnant" replied Wendy. "She's worried about asking Ecklie for time off"

"She's not due for another six months, she need not worry about Ecklie" replied David.

They were quiet. "David. When are we going to try for another?" she asked quietly.

The loss of their unborn baby made them not want to even try for another baby until the whole ordeal with Wendy's family was finished.

"Now that the trial is complete we can try anytime." He replied. "Providing that our daughter is asleep"

Wendy cleared her throat. "Nancy and Steve are bringing the older kids too. Erika and Amy are now seven so they won't want to play the baby games we have planned for Alicia and Ella.

"We will figure something else out. What about Gil and Sara? Are they going to bring Annie?"

"Well she's only two months old. They may ask Lindsey to babysit" replied David.

"Why don't we invite Lindsey and have her assist us then keep an eye on Annie when she's not needed to help organize the games." Wendy suggested.

"She's sixteen, she may not want to come to a kiddie birthday party" said Hodges.

"Are you going to invite your sisters?" asked Hodges after a moment.

"Well I'm hoping to. Now that mom is in jail, the younger kids have been put into foster care. I really don't like that David." She said.

"Wendy we are not equipped to foster any more kids"

"They're my sisters and brother. They will be no trouble" Wendy said.

"If we do petition the court for them, we will need a bigger home" he said.

"We will need to set some ground rules too. I heard through the _grapevine_ that Katrina is rebelling a little and her foster mom is almost at her wits end"

"Figures. Katrina has been controlled for so long, it was bound to happen" David said.

"I want to foster my siblings, but are we going to be able to care for spiritually damaged children?" Wendy asked.

"They are going to need a lot of therapy Wendy. Are we able to deal with that?" David asked.

There was a pause.

"If we take in those kids, are we going to still be able to handle a baby of our own?" David asked quietly.

That question was left unanswered because the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it" Wendy said.

Wendy answered the door and to her astonishment, at the door was her sister Katrina standing beside a large burly woman.

"You Wendy?" the burly woman demanded.

"Yes. May I help you?"

"Take your sister" she said.

"What? What is the matter?"

"We can't continue anymore. She is just too out of control for our family" said the burly woman.

"Who are you?" demanded Wendy.

"Cathleen Smithers, Katrina's foster mother. We already told child services that we can't take her and that you, being her sister would. Here are her things." She replied and was gone.

Katrina said nothing as her foster mother dumped all her belongings in Wendy's home and without a word left.

David came into the front foyer and saw the look on not only Wendy's face but that of Katrina's too.

"What the hell happened?" asked David.

"I have no idea. Katrina's foster mom just dumped her off with her belongings and said we're her guardians now."

"Katrina, come and sit in the living room. Tell us what happened"

Katrina said nothing and stared at the wall in a stony silence.

"Uh David, why don't you leave us alone for a few." She said.

"I'll got tend to Alicia" he said and left the girls alone.

"Spill it girl, what the hell happened?" Wendy said.

"I was being picked on at school, called names – horrible names because of the ordeal with mom and the boys. I retaliated and …" she could not finish.

"What happened when you retaliated, what did you do to retaliate?"

"I simply ignored them at first, but then the taunts got worse and so I just pushed someone down on her ass. She was not hurt but they called my foster mom and she got all mad at me for retaliating. I told her what happened and she told me that I should have never retaliated. I was p-punished"

Wendy closed her eyes. "Do I need to make a phone call to C.A.S.?" she said and looked her sister in the eye.

"No. Nothing like that. I was punished whereby I was locked in my room t think about what I had done."

"You were _locked_ in your room?" she asked. "That is still illegal. Do they do that to their other foster kids?"

"Only me" she said.

Katrina and Wendy talked for a little longer, not only about her ordeal involving her foster parents not wanting her anymore, but about when she had lived with their mom and what Marjorie had put her through.

"Living with the foster mom was a lot better than living with Marjorie!" Katrina told Wendy. "Mom's rules were so horrible that it was unbearable" she said.

"How so? "

"The clothes she made me wear. I was constantly being spied on by our brothers. They weren't even in my school and one of them spied on me at all times. To make sure I wasn't _consorting_ with a boy. Once I was talking to a classmate about school and Roger interrupted us and smacked me for talking to him." She shivered. That scared away any boy from talking to me. I was talking to a male teacher once about my grade and Andrew stormed into the classroom and yelled at me for talking to the teacher alone with out anyone else present."

Katrina began to weep as Wendy put her hand on her sisters back and patted her.

That night Katrina slept in Alicia's room while Alicia slept in Wendy and David's room in a bassinet. They put a mattress on the floor in the baby's room for Katrina.

"She is so messed up David." Wendy said. "Mark my words, next thing we know, Cindy and Christine will be knocking on the door.

Wendy began to weep in David's arms. David held Wendy close… but two o'clock the next morning there was banging on the front door.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter Forty-Two Chapter Forty-Two

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI.

Wendy got up from her nice cozy bed and went downstairs to investigate who was at the door. It was both Cindy and Christine with their luggage.

"What are you doing here at this hour?"

"Foster mother kicked us out!"

"What?"

"Aw our foster brother was bothering us while we were on the computer doing some research and we told him to stop, among other things and the foster mother got mad and kicked us out" Christine said.

"There had to be more to it than that"

"Yeah probably, but foster mother said she'd call you in the morning so where do we sleep?" Cindy said.

Wendy sighed. She was never going to be able to conceive the baby with David now that there were three additional females in the house.

"Pull up a piece of couch girls, we will talk in the morning." Wendy told them and left the girls to get settled on the couch.

"What's going on Wendy?"

"You were right. That was Christine and Cindy" she said.

"We can't even have sex now can we." He said with a pout.

Wendy looked at her husband with a sly grin. "Well we just gotta keep our voice down.

They were interrupted a few minutes later by their crying daughter.

"It's okay Alicia" cooed Wendy. Alicia cradled her self in Wendy's arms and fell asleep. A few moments later Wendy put her daughter back in the bassinet and fell asleep too.

The next morning. Wendy sent off her sisters to school and Wendy and David went off to the lab to work.

Mid-afternoon Wendy went over to the Trace lab and stood directly behind her husband who was looking into the microscope not knowing his wife stood behind him.

"Follow me" she said.

David followed his wife to where she was leading him.. the evidence locker. She gave a nod to the tech that was logging evidence and he obligingly opened up the door for them.

"David we have no privacy at home, so let's do it here" she said with a husky voice.

David Hodges began to blush as he saw his wife stripping off her clothes right there in the middle of the evidence locker.

"Wendy, what if we get caught?"

"I want to have your baby right now. I'm ovulating so let's get down" she said and gave him a little butt wiggle.

David blushed even redder.

"Why are you so embarrassed?" she asked.

"Because you are standing naked in front of me and I have just noticed Warrick and Catherine going at it behind you. " he whispered.

Wendy let out a squeal and hid as David passed her the clothes.

They managed to leave the evidence locker with out either Catherine or Warrick seeing them. But as they passed the evidence locker tech trying not to laugh.

"You say a word about this, I swear…" Wendy said through gritted teeth to him.

The evidence locker tech stopped grinning and went back to logging his evidence.

Wendy and David went back to their respective labs and said nothing more to each other for the rest of the shift.


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI or the characters. I'm only borrowing them.

A/N: I'm going to sum-up this part of the storyline and get Wendy & David back to the lab and focus on that storyline and their antics there (even though they're married)

Wendy and David, after being awakened that night by most of Wendy's siblings, decided that they needed to talk about what the next step was. After giving it a lot of thought, talking it out with each other and with Grissom and Sara (who they admire and look up to both as parents and colleagues) decided that they were not suited to take care of a bunch of teenage siblings. Wendy didn't want to hurt her siblings - but knew they'd be better off in foster care with families who could deal with their needs.

Together with Child & Family services and the kids' fathers (who all couldn't deal with their kids which is why they, when asked if they wanted their teens, gave up custody) Wendy and David screened potential families for the troubled teens.

In the end, six months later, all of Wendy's siblings were improving in their behaviour, their grades were also improving too. Wendy's mother and brothers still remained behind bars, after an unsuccessful appeal.

A/N: This story is now on Hiatus – to be continued once the new CSI season starts (hopefully I'll get some inspiration from any flirting between Wendy and David)

Thanks for reviewing, please keep it up. Also head over to my other stories – which are basically GSR related…. The latest story I'm working on is "The Secrets of Gil & Sara"

Cheers!


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